Pasta Fagioli
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Teeming with vegetables, beans, and pasta, hearty pasta fagioli soup is the perfect cozy meal for a chilly night.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Pasta Fagioli, literally meaning “pasta and beans” (and pronounced “pasta fa-jo-lee” or “pasta fa-zhool,” depending on the region) is a quintessential Italian comfort food, perfect for those chilly nights that call for something cozy and hearty. This particular version, adapted from Joe Cicala, executive chef at Cicala in Philadelphia, and featured in The Washington Post, is truly the best I’ve tried.
The soup begins with a flavorful mix of pancetta and vegetables, simmered in wine and broth, and finishes with pasta and beans. But what really makes the soup special is the way the broth is enriched: a portion of the soup is puréed and stirred back in, lending a satisfying texture and a depth of flavor that makes the soup a meal in itself. Serve it with focaccia and a big Italian salad, and you’ve got a meal that will warm you up and make you happy.
Table of Contents
“AMAZING!! This was an absolute gem of a soup to make, with very rich and complex flavors. Loved the thickening trick as well! I am Italian and have had many versions of pasta fagioli, but this one is my favorite.”
What You’ll Need to Make Pasta Fagioli
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing vegetables, adding a subtle, fruity undertone to the soup’s base.
- Pancetta: Italian cured pork belly, similar to American bacon but not smoked, adds a rich, savory flavor. Available pre-diced near the deli section or at the deli counter for convenience.
- Onion, Carrots, Celery, Garlic: This classic vegetable mix creates a flavorful foundation for the soup, offering sweetness, aroma, and depth.
- White Wine: Adds a hint of acidity and complexity to the soup. Choose an inexpensive bottle that’s still good enough to drink.
- Chicken Broth: The liquid base of the soup, contributing both richness and depth.
- Cannellini Beans or Chickpeas (or a Combination): These legumes bring heartiness, texture, and protein to the dish.
- Dried Lentils: Add nutritional value, earthy flavor, and heartiness to the soup. French green lentils (lentilles du Puy) are preferred for their ability to hold their shape, but any brown or green lentils will work.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: Provide acidity and brightness, balancing the soup’s rich flavors.
- Bay Leaves and Fresh Rosemary: These herbs infuse the soup with aromatic and herbal notes.
- Pasta: Small pasta like elbow macaroni, ditalini, or orzo makes the soup more substantial.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: This cheese lends a nutty, salty flavor to the soup.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by heating the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large pot, then add the pancetta.
Cook until the fat begins to render, about 5 minutes.
Add the onions, carrots, and celery.
Cook until the onions become translucent, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Pour in the wine and cook until almost evaporated.
Next, add the broth, salt, pepper, beans lentils, tomatoes, bay leaves and rosemary, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of lentils you used. Use a ladle to transfer about one cup of the beans and a little broth to a blender. Remove the center knob so steam can escape. Hold a paper towel or kitchen towel over the opening to prevent splatters. Purée until smooth and set aside.
Meanwhile, add the dried pasta to the simmering broth.
Cook until the pasta is tender, then add the reserved purée back to the pot. The broth will be slightly thickened from both the pasta starch and the purée.
If the soup seems too thick, thin it with a bit of water. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with more cheese, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it’s best to do so before adding the pasta, as pasta can become mushy when frozen and then thawed. Freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender. (The beans may have soaked up some of the broth while frozen, so add more broth to thin out the soup, if necessary.)
Yes, you can make this soup vegetarian by substituting the chicken broth with vegetable broth and omitting the pancetta. To maintain the savory depth of flavor in the vegetarian version, consider adding a Parmigiano Reggiano rind while the soup simmers. The rind imparts a rich, umami flavor that enhances the broth beautifully.
This soup will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. However, keep in mind that the pasta and beans will continue to absorb the broth over time, so they may become softer and the soup thicker. If you don’t plan on serving the soup immediately, I recommend cooking the pasta separately and adding it to individual servings.
Video Tutorial
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Pasta Fagioli
Teeming with vegetables, beans, and pasta, hearty pasta fagioli soup is the perfect cozy meal for a chilly night.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 2 medium ribs celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans or chickpeas (or a combination), drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup dried lentils, rinsed (preferably French green lentils, but any green or brown lentils are fine)
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- ¾ cup pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat begins to render, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, carrots and celery and increase the heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add the wine and cook until it has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, salt, pepper, beans, lentils, tomatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are just tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of lentils you used.
- Use a ladle to transfer about 1 cup of the beans and veggies and a little liquid to a blender. Remove the center knob so steam can escape. Hold a paper towel or kitchen towel over the opening to prevent splatters. Purée until smooth and set aside.
- Add the pasta to the pot and stir to incorporate. Turn the heat up to a gentle boil and cook until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 12 minutes depending on the type of pasta you used (follow timing on the package). The soup will thicken a bit by the time the pasta is cooked. Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir the reserved puréed mixture into the soup. (If you're having a hard time getting the mixture out of the blender, remove as much as you can with a rubber spatula, then add some of the hot soup broth to the blender and swirl around to loosen it up; it should come right out.) Cook briefly, until the soup is heated through.
- Remove the soup from heat and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. If the soup seems too thick, gradually add 1 to 2 cups of water or chicken broth and thin to the desired consistency (the longer the soup sits on the stove, the thicker it will get). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with more cheese, if desired. Note that as the finished soup sits on the stove, the pasta and beans will continue to soak up the broth. If it gets too thick, you can thin it with a bit of broth or water.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, keep in mind that the pasta and beans will continue to absorb the broth over time, so they may become softer and the soup thicker. If you don't plan on serving the soup immediately, I recommend cooking the pasta separately and adding it to individual servings. The soup can also be frozen, without the pasta, for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender. (The beans may have soaked up some of the broth while refrigerated or frozen, so add more broth to thin out the soup, if desired.)
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: About 2 cups
- Calories: 691
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 81g
- Sugar: 7g
- Fiber: 17g
- Protein: 36g
- Sodium: 1214mg
- Cholesterol: 26mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Wonderful recipe! Perfect soup for a cold evening. Very flavorful. I will definitely make this again.
My family loves this soup recipe! I usually don’t do the puree step (more for time savings and to have a couple less dishes to wash). The soup still has great texture and taste.
This recipe is amazing! The only modification we made was to cut back the salt by 1/2 during the cooking , then adjusting it at the end. Absolutely delicious! I passed this along to my daughter who has 7 children…it is their goto soup recipe now.
Another winning recipe from Jenn!!
The absolute best soup I’ve ever had. I cooked the pasta separate and then added to the broth. My husband said this is one of the top five things I make now. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
This is a very tasty soup! We are a family of 5 and my kids are 6 yrs and younger and I always double so we will have left overs the next day. It can be salty- so I just omit the salt. The pancetta makes the soup salty enough. A family fave!
I’ve made this soup many times, but this is the first time I’ve reviewed it. I have to watch my sodium intake, so am extremely careful to choose low sodium products. I use the lowest % chicken stock and tomatoes that I can find and always make my beans from dried rather than canned. It’s a bit more work, but worth it! All of Jenn’s recipes that I’ve tried are spot-on delicious. Ir’s nice to have a trusted source.
This has quickly become my go to soup for the family. Everyone loves it! I occasionally add roasted chicken for a fuller meal along with some crusty Italian or French bread.
I cook a lot from Once Upon a Chef and this is my all time favorite recipe. It has authentic flavor and texture – just like my husband’s Italian grandmother used to make for us. I follow the recipe just as written and it always pleases. Pair it with the Rosemary Focaccia and your guests will never want to leave your table. https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/rosemary-focaccia.html
I’m looking forward to making this for a group coming for dinner – around 12 people. Your recipe states only 4 servings, but it looks like a big pot. How much do you think I’d need to make for the group? I’ll also add salad & fresh bread. Thank you for your help!
Oh, also what do you think about already cooked lentils? My favorite are sold air tight, and hold their shape well.
Hi Cathy, you could use cooked lentils here but they obviously won’t need to cook for as long.
Hi Cathy, If you definitely want to have enough for all of your guests, I’d make 3 times the recipe. You could make only double if the salad and bread will be hearty. Hope everyone enjoys!
This is my 11-month-old’s favorite dish. Tonight she ate a full adult serving in complete silence–she was in the zone. It is so delicious for adults, too. I always leave out the pancetta and simmer the soup with a Parmesan rind if I remember. It takes well to substitutions–no rosemary, crushed tomatoes instead of diced, it is somehow always delicious.
I love pasta fagioli but find so many variations and what I really love is the broth..
I don’t mind a few beans but plan to leave out the macaroni and the lentils unless you think it gives flavor.
Thank you for this recipe; looks like what I have been searching for.
Hi Linda, I would definitely encourage you to add the lentils as they add a nice hearty earthiness. If you want the soup to be more brothy, then omitting the pasta would be fine. Hope you enjoy!
Tremendous recipe, will now always be one of my favorites! Kids loved it too.
You did it again Jen. This soup is absolutely delicious. There is only two of us so we had plenty for 4 days. Just like fine wine, we think this even gets better with age. Thankyou once again for a superb recipe!
When I get imported ReggianoParmesan grated at the Italian market I go to, they always ask if I want the rind. I say yes because some women I know say they put it in there soup to flavor it. ( Eventually I end up throwing it out )
Any suggestions on how to properly take advantage of this rind?
Your cook book is on my Christmas wish list. Congrats on your accomplishment.
Chris Valitutti
Thank you, Chris! The women you know are right – adding it to soups is a great way to add flavor.
Jennifer, I mad the pasta fagioli for dinner and I paired it up with your buttermilk biscuits. Great combination! Thanks for supplying more great foolproof recipes!
Do you soak dried lentils first
Nope, lentils don’t need to be soaked. Enjoy!
Thank you I am making it now but made it early so I don’t think it will matter if I let it simmer till I am ready to eat and than puree a cup of beans and than do pasta ?
Yep that sounds right.
Hello
How can i make this in crockpot using all dried beans
Hi Sandy, You could make this in a slow cooker but you’d still need to go through all of the initial steps on the stovetop, and it cooks pretty quickly so not sure a slow cooker would make sense for this recipe. That said, I would cook the beans first as they wouldn’t have time to soften enough in this recipe.
Jenn – recipe looks fabulous. I would like to add one nice sausage link such as hot italian or chorizo. Would that work.
Definitely!
Made this for the first time on the weekend and took a chance, based on the great reviews, and made a double batch so I could freeze several tubs. So, so, so good! I swapped the canned beans and lentils for a 10-bean mix bag, and it was a win. Everyone loved the smokey bacon flavour! My husband said it’s the best soup I’ve made ever! Will definitely add this to the ‘repeat’ list for sure!
I made this for a dinner I was going to with a vegetarian so I left out the bacon, 🙁 but, that being said, it was still absolutely fabulous! We are a big soup eating family and this will be one of our regular meals for sure, but with bacon next time. Loved it!! Thanks Jenn!
Delicious!! I follow the recipe as written and it’s perfect! This has become a winter family favorite!
I made this for the second time tonight per my husband’s request, it is now one of his favorites. He went as far as to say that it is better than his Italian Nonna’s! Absolutely delicious. I do add 8 cups of broth at the beginning since I use lentils from Italy that require the soup to cook longer.
How can I print the Pasta Fagioli recipe
Hi Albert, Go to the very top of the recipe page. Immediately under the recipe title, you will see a bar with a few options (Recipe/Reviews/Add Review/Print). Select the print button there. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the soup!
Hi. My husband loves pasta fagioli and I am going to make this recipe. Only one problem. My son and I don’t like parm. cheese. Can you recommend a substitute or will it still be as good without it?
Hi Cindy, feel free to omit the cheese, the soup will still be delicious. The cheese adds a bit of salt, so if you feel like you need to add a little extra salt, just do it to taste. Hope you enjoy!
I love the look of this recipe, and would love to make it but I’m vegetarian. Could I use vegetable stock instead of the broth? But still stuck on a substitute for the pancetta? Would love to hear if you have a veggie alternative I could use. Thanks so much!
Hi Aparna, You can use vegetable stock and just omit the pancetta. It’ll still be delicious!
Finely diced? Could I possibly use my food processor?
Hi P, a food processor would work, but you just want to be sure not to puree the veggies. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious!
This my go to comfort soup and this recipe is full of flavor and taste. I loved everything about the recipe and wouldn’t change a thing.
Excellent recipe. Followed it exactly and it came out great. Really good as leftovers although the pasta does get a bit mushy over time (unavoidable) but that didn’t detract from the great flavors.
This is a wonderful comfort soup. Easy and quick to make compared to some other similar soups I’ve made. Definitely a keeper. I used the immersion blender and blended a bit more than the one cup, I just like a smoother thicker consistency.
I love this recipe. So much better than the one with so much tomato base. Will make this again and again.
I made this today for my family – let me say it got the thumbs up all around. We all loved it….thank you so much for sharing your recipes so that we in turn, can share with our families. Now…..off to make the lemon buttermilk pound cake.
How much is ‘one cup’?
Hi Jo, I see from your email address that you’re from the UK, so I’ve added metric conversions for the recipe. To view them, scroll down to the recipe and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you.
I made this tonight. Amazing doesn’t begin to dsescribe it. I had 2 bowls, and so did my friend, for whom I demonstrated this recipe as a cooking lesson. The remainders, as much as I wanted to keep them, I packed up for my friend and my pregnant sister who lives 5 min away, as a supreme treat for tomorrow. I suspect I will be making it again within the week.
Great recipe. Used Reisling for the white wine (1/4 cup) and the result was outstanding. Easy to follow and achieve success! Thank you Jenn.
I loved this soup – the flavors and texture were perfect. My husband isn’t really a bean guy and didn’t love it the first night, but liked it a lot more as leftovers the second night. I couldn’t find the French green lentils and just used regular brown lentils and it came out great. Will definitely make again!
Great recipe! My family love this winter soup.
As usual, this recipe is over the top good! outside of an extra clove of garlic, I followed Jen’s recipe to the letter and the flavor is amazing. We had a return to sub freezing weather again today and this soup hit the spot. Great tip on buying the MINI bottles of wine. grabbed a 4 pack of pinot grigio on the way home and just a little left in the bottle for the cook.
This recipe is exactly like my grandmother’s soup that she made when I was little. I add a parmesan cheese rind to the soup at the beginning and fish it out before serving. It freezes exceptionally well so I usually make double the recipe.
Everyone should try this recipe.
Hi Jenn. I’d like to add ground turkey. How much of the salt would I have to add?
Hi Catherine, are you saying that you’d like to substitute ground turkey for something else in the recipe?
This is a great soup and easy to make. Flavors are grand. My only complaint is that it barely fed four, which has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the recipe. Everything recipe of Jenn’s I’ve tried has been good. This is no exception. Give it a try. You won’t be sorry.
Great recipe. So delicious. For vegetable fans you can easily double the vegetables and add extra drained diced tomatoes and even red peppers. It is also so flexible! I’ve made this recipe many times with pancetta, bacon and even ham… I used 1/2 cup red lentils in a pinch which worked out so well to help thicken the soup. Great soup for a hearty lunch or dinner.
In my note next to this recipe, I’ve written, “The best soup I’ve ever made!”
My favorite winter soup – flavor is absolutely delicious! I would recommend reducing the amount of salt, otherwise don’t change a thing!
Great weeknight supper, then again the next day in the kiddos thermos for school lunch! I’m too lazy to dig out the blender so I just pulse my soup wand in the pot a couple times before adding the pasta. Delicious!
Incredibly delicious – no leftovers in sight. I followed the recipe exactly except I used a can of fire roasted tomatoes, and I may have blended a little too much of the soup (which only impacted the final look slightly – making it a bit more murky.) Would definitely make again.
This is great dish, for this time of year in New England, very satisfying. I used a whole can of diced tomatoes, instead of a cup, otherwise followed the recipe. I usually serve with a good loaf of bread. Made it twice now and my husband always goes back for seconds. Enjoy!
I love this recipe!! I have made it a few times now and it turns out perfectly every time!! I follow the recipe just like it is written! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!
I made this after a friend raved about it. I wasn’t familiar with pancetta so accidentally bought the thinly sliced kind which still worked – but I’m grateful for the photos so I know what to buy next time! I also used gluten free pasta, and (for the first time) no one in my family complained about it. I think the other flavors made it undetectable. My 7yo, who complains about everything, still complained about this — but he also ate it. Success! Oh, and I used parmesan b/c I forgot to get parm reggiano so I had to add more salt to boost the flavor.
Phenomenal. So many of your recipes are off-the-charts good, but this is love and hominess in a bowl. My husband loves it, too. Whenever I tell him I’m making it his eyes glaze over.