Go Back

Pasta Fagioli Soup

Pasta fagioli soup with hearty cannellini beans and tender ditalini cooked in a rich tomato-vegetable broth. Simmered in one pot with oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan for a deeply savory finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
Soup
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
Finish
  • 1.5 cup ditalini pasta
  • 2 cup baby spinach
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the veggie base
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 6-7 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir to coat the vegetables.
Build the broth and simmer
  1. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth, cannellini beans, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. Keep it at a gentle simmer, with small bubbles around the edges.
Cook pasta, wilt spinach, and finish
  1. Stir in the ditalini pasta and cook until al dente, about 9-10 minutes. Check for tenderness while maintaining a firm bite.
  2. Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. The greens should turn bright and collapse into the broth.
  3. Remove the bay leaves. Skim them out before adding the cheese.
  4. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted into the broth. The soup should look slightly thickened and glossy.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with extra Parmesan and fresh parsley, and serve hot.

Notes

For best texture, add the pasta and spinach in the final stage as written so the ditalini doesn’t overcook. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or water to loosen. Freezing is not recommended because pasta can get soft when thawed. Dietary swap: use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a vegetarian version.