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Easy Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta Fazool)

This is a fast and easy Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta Fazool) recipe that serves up hearty classic Italian soup ready in just 30 minutes! Robust and flavorful, this soup is hearty, packed with fresh vegetables, beans and pasta and takes comfort food to the next level.

soup pot full of pasta soup

Easy Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta Fazool)

There are certain dishes that no matter how often you make them, you never grow tired of them.  This quick and easy soup recipe is THAT recipe for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my Cajun 15 Bean Soup, Beer Cheese Potato Soup and my Mexican Easy Tortilla Soup but this pasta e fagioli recipe is the one that gets made the most.

The best part of this robust Italian soup is the fresh ingredients and pantry staples you probably already have on hand. PLUS it’s ready to eat in just 30 minutes! Serving up a robust hearty dinner gets no easier than THAT!

pasta e fagioli soup in a grey bowl

Why You Will Love Pasta Fazool

  • Easy – This is an easy soup recipe that uses pantry friendly items you probably already have on hand like beans and pasta.
  • Fast – Who doesn’t love a good 30 minute meal? Trust me, after a hard day you want something uncomplicated, hearty and fast.
  • Fresh Ingredients (mostly) – Canned beans, fresh veggies, tomato sauce and pasta like ditalini or elbow macaroni. Done!

To make this easy soup recipe, you will need:

  • Carrots, celery and onion
  • Chopped pancetta
  • Fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme
  • Chopped garlic
  • Garbanzo and Cannellini beans
  • Beef stock
  • Spices
  • Ditalini pasta
  • Tomato sauce

Easy Pasta e Fagioli Recipe

This is one super flavorful and hearty bowl of deliciousness that is easy to make and ready in under 30 minutes. Start by heating up your olive oil over medium heat and then lightly brown your pancetta.

pancetta browning in olive oil

Add in your rosemary and thyme and then your chopped vegetables. Stir them around for a minute or so and then add in your spices, beef stock, tomato sauce and beans.

chopped veggies adding into soup

Bring your soup to a boil and then reduce your heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, remove cheese rind with a slotted spoon.

pasta e fagioli soup on a ladle

In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook your pasta per the box instructions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and then add it to your Pasta e Fagioli in a separate bowl.

Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese and grab some good crusty bread to soak up all that wonderful soup.

pasta fagioli soup in a pot

Pro Tips for Perfect Italian Soup

  • What’s the secret to a great Italian soup? Add a Parmesan Cheese rind into your soup as it cooks.  It will add amazing flavor and just remember to remove and discard before serving.
  • This Pasta Fazool recipe freezes beautifully.  Simply let your soup cool (without pasta), then transfer it to large zip top bags or freezer containers. To reheat, simply let thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on stovetop.
  • Looking for a vegetarian Pasta e Fagioli recipe? Simply omit the pancetta and you are good to go!
  • Cook your pasta separately and add it to your serving bowl instead of to your soup pot. By not adding it to your pot of soup, it will keep your pasta from getting mushy from sitting in liquid too long.
  • Pasta e Fagioli soup recipe can also be made using 1 pound of ground beef, substituting crumbled bacon for the pancetta or (my favorite!!) adding in smoked pork or a left over ham bone. Like I did HERE!

Pasta e Fagioli Pronunciation

Pasta e Fagioli is actually pronounced Pasta Fazool and so many people just spell it that way too because let’s be honest, it seems easier that way. 

Looking for more easy soup ideas? Don’t forget to check out these other soup recipes I know you will love!

Enjoy!

pasta e fagioli soup in serving bowls

Easy Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta Fazool)

pasta e fagioli soup in a grey bowl
This is a fast and easy Pasta e Fagioli recipe that serves up hearty classic Italian soup ready in just 30 minutes! Also known as Pasta Fazool, this soup is hearty, packed with fresh vegetables, beans and pasta and takes comfort food to the next level.
Heather
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Serving Size 8

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup pancetta chopped
  • 1 large rosemary sprig leaves stripped, diced
  • 2 large sprig of thyme leaves stripped
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 5 garlic cloves diced
  • 32 ounces beef stock
  • 28 ounces tomato or spaghetti sauce
  • 15 ounce can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne optional
  • 16 ounce box ditalini
  • Rind from fresh parmesean block optional but suggested
  • fresh parsley for garnishing

Instructions

  • Start by heating up your olive oil over medium heat and lightly brown your pancetta.
  • Add in your rosemary, thyme and your diced vegetables.
  • Stir them around for a minute or so and then add in your spices, beef stock, tomato sauce, cheese rind and beans.
  • Bring your soup to a boil and then reduce your heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, remove cheese rind with a slotted spoon.
  • In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook your pasta per the box instructions.
  • Once cooked, strain the pasta and serve in a separate bowl. Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese and grab some good crusty bread to soak up all that wonderful broth.

Notes

PRO TIPS
  • Add a Parmesan Cheese rind into your soup as it cooks.  It will add amazing flavor and just remember to remove and discard before serving. 
  • Pasta e Fagioli freezes beautifully.  Simply let your soup cool (without pasta), then transfer it to large zip top bags or freezer containers. To reheat, simply let thaw in the refrigerator and reheat on stovetop.
  • Looking for a vegetarian Pasta e Fagioli recipe? Simply omit the pancetta and you are good to go!
  • Cook your pasta separately and add it to your serving bowl instead of to your soup pot. By not adding it to your pot of soup, it will keep your pasta from getting mushy from sitting in liquid too long.
  • Pasta e Fagioli soup recipe can also be made using 1 lb of ground beef, substituting crumbled bacon for the pancetta or (my favorite!!) adding in smoked pork or a left over ham bone. Like I did HERE!
 

Nutrition

Serving: 8g | Calories: 432.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 71.7g | Protein: 18.2g | Fat: 9.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.8g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 1320.4mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 7.9g | Sugar: 8.1g | Vitamin A: 1800IU | Vitamin C: 12.5mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 4.2mg

Update Notes: This post was originally published in March of 2016 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in April of 2024.

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10 Comments

      1. Heather I haven’t been able to buy pancetta. Is it by the bacon or another section of the store. I’ve been to three stores and have all the ingredients but that.

        1. Hi Debbie 🙂 Mine is usually in the deli section, I shop at Publix and they have packaged up already diced up for me. You could also try behind the deli counter and just have them cut the slices thick, if they can. Or… you can be like me …. and use regular bacon instead. I’ve made this soup using regular bacon (or even the bacon in the little pouch from the salad isle) before and it still came out beautifully.

          1. Thanks Heather. We don’t’ have Publix, but I’ll try a deli. I’ll have to wait for the cold again. LOL. I’m in Texas and it’s moving up in the 70s by the weekend but next Wed it will be cold again.

  1. Your Pasta-E-Fagioli looks amazing, we will love it! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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