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4.84 from 6 votes

Pasta e Fagioli

My favorite pasta e fagioli recipe is loaded up with hearty pasta, beans, veggies and pancetta and simmered in a richly-seasoned tomato broth. Always such a delicious one-pot meal!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: bean, budget friendly
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Ali

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces diced pancetta
  • 1 medium white onion diced
  • 1 large carrot finely diced
  • 1 large celery stalk finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans cannelini or Great Northern beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup mini pasta shells or ditalini
  • 1 cup (1 ounce) shredded or finely chopped fresh kale (tough stems removed)
  • 1/2 cup (0.5 ounce) freshly-grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
  • fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Cook the pancetta. Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and fry, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pancetta to a bowl and set aside.
  • Sauté the veggies. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pan (with the leftover pancetta grease). Sauté for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Simmer. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, tomato paste, rosemary, cooked pancetta, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer.
  • Cook the pasta. Add the beans and pasta and stir to combine. Continue cooking, reducing the heat if need be to maintain a simmer. When the pasta is about 2 minutes shy of being al dente, stir in the kale until combined. Once the pasta is al dente, turn off the heat, sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the soup, and stir to combine.
  • Season. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed.
  • Serve. Serve warm, garnished with extra Parmesan, and enjoy!