Vegetarian Pasta E Fagioli

A cast iron pot with pasta fagioli soup in it with bread pieces surrounding it.

Pasta fagioli soup is an Italian classic! Enjoy this vegetarian version that is thick and stew-like and each bite is full of hearty pasta and beans

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword pasta e fagioli, pasta e fagioli vegetarian

Freezer Friendly Yes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 323kcal

Author Bethany Kramer

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1 medium yellow onion
1 celery rib
2 small to medium carrots
1 cup dried small pasta shells (see notes)
2 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 thyme sprigs
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
parmesan cheese rind (see notes)
1/2 teaspoon (each) salt & black pepper (plus more to taste)

Instructions

Prepare vegetables: dice onion into small pieces. Remove stems from the celery and carrots, and dice into 1/4-inch pieces. Mince garlic.
Sauté vegetables: In a large pot on low to medium heat, sauté diced onions, celery, and carrots in olive oil with pinch of salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes until soft, stir often.
Add aromatics: when vegetables are soft, add minced garlic, chopped oregano, thyme sprigs, and red pepper flakes. Sauté with vegetables for 30 seconds. Note: rather than add these when the soup simmers, sautéing the herbs and spices for a short period of time will draw an even deeper level of flavor from the aromatic ingredients.
Simmer beans & tomatoes: then add diced tomatoes with juices, cannellini beans, and parmesan cheese rind to vegetables. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Note: This part infuses the beans with flavor before adding the broth.
Add the broth for a final simmer: Add the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes until it has reduced and thickened.
Cook the pasta: while tomatoes and beans cook, bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until "al dente", then strain water from noodles. Note: some recipes call for the pasta to cook with the soup, I personally don't want the starches from the pasta to interfere with the texture of the soup so I cook them separate.
Add pasta and fresh basil: add your cooked pasta shells to the soup with 1/4 cup fresh basil. Remove parmesan cheese rind and thyme sprigs before serving. Taste soup and adjust flavor with pinch of salt or more red pepper flakes until the balance of flavor is just right. Serve with fresh parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Notes

Types of pasta noodles you can use: I used small pasta shells for this recipe. You can also use ditalini, macaroni, rotini, or orecchiette. It's best to use bite-sized pasta!

Make it gluten-free! I used chickpea noodles in this recipe and they worked great! You can also use brown rice, lentil flour pasta, or your favorite gluten-free pasta brand.

Nutrition