Vegan Pasta Fagioli

This Healthy Vegan Pasta Fagioli is packed with protein and so cozy. It’s the perfect nutritious, veggie packed winter dinner anyone will love!

If you love cozy, healthy meals – you’ll definitely enjoy this Healthy Vegan Pasta Fagioli. It’s the ultimate comfort food!

Loaded with beans, pasta, and a thick tomato base – it’s delicious + nutritious (the perfect combo!)

Growing up, we would always have pasta fagioli. It was (and still is!) one of my favorite meals. It’s super hearty, while being so good for you, and tasting amazing!

We’re Italian, so we had it all the time – but you might be like… what the heck is pasta fagioli?!

What is pasta fagioli?

Pasta fagioli is a traditional Italian soup/stew made with beans, veggies, and pasta. It originated as a ‘peasant dish’ because it’s made with inexpensive ingredients.

Depending on the region of Italy you’re from, it can be thick like stew, or thinner. Some people add meat to it, while others keep it vegetarian.

No matter how you make it it’s delicious. And if you were wondering how to say it – it’s fah- sool (rhymes with school 🙂 )

How to make pasta fagioli:

Making pasta fagioli is SUPER simple. You just need to do a little bit of work to chop your veggies, then toss it in the pot, bring to a boil, add in your pasta, and cook it until it’s al dente!

Your main ingredients are veggies, pasta, tomatoes + beans!

Tips for making Vegan Pasta Fagioli:

• To save time, you can cut your veggies ahead of time + keep in the fridge for 24 hours so all you need to do is cook!
• To save time, you can also use canned beans. I try to find ones that are low sodium and always rinse/drain them
• If using dried beans, make sure to cook them ahead of time. Store in a container in your refrigerator until you’re ready to cook

Substitutions for this recipe

• If not vegan: you can sauté bacon or pancetta when sautéing your veggies.. It does add flavor, but I honestly prefer it without. You could also add a parmesan cheese rind to the soup as it cooks, but that is not necessary. 
• For pasta: You can use any small pasta. Elbows are my favorite, but ditalini also work, and I’ve even seen people use broken spaghetti! 
• For beans: I usually use canned cannellini beans to save time. You can cook your own, or sub with navy beans or great northern beans
• For broth: If not vegan, you can use chicken stock or bone broth for the liquid in this recipe!

How to serve Healthy Pasta Fagioli

FYI – pasta fagioli is meant to be very thick! You should almost be able to eat it with a fork!

Pasta fagioli is best served with a big piece of crunchy bread, and lots of parmesan cheese! If you’re vegan, feel free to add nutritional yeast.

Fresh basil and cracked black pepper also add a lot of flavor!

Can you make this Vegan Pasta Fagioli in the crockpot?

Yes, you can make this in the crockpot – but I would really recommend making it on the stovetop. It’s super quick! Unless you use the pasta I linked below, I can’t guarantee yours will cook correctly, and it might either be al dente, or mushy!

If you use this pasta – follow all steps, and just cook it in your crockpot on low for 4 hours. 

Other healthy soup recipes:

• Paleo Butternut Squash Soup
• Healthy Lemon Chicken Soup
• Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Taco Soup
• Whole30 Italian Wedding Soup
• Healthy Beef Barley Soup

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4.67 from 6 votes

Vegan Pasta Fagioli

This Healthy Vegan Pasta Fagioli is packed with protein and so cozy. It's the perfect nutritious, veggie packed winter dinner anyone will love!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy pasta fagioli, vegan pasta fagioli

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 288kcal

Author The Clean Eating Couple

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion
• 2 tablespoons garlic minced (approx 3 garlic cloves)
• 1 cup carrots chopped
• 30 oz cooked cannellini beans (rinsed/drained if using canned)
• 15 oz can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons basil minced
• 2 tablespoons parsley minced
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups water
• 6 oz elbow pasta gluten free if necessary

Instructions

• In a large pot, saute onions, garlic and carrots in olive oil over medium heat.
• Add beans, tomato sauce, spices, stock and water to the pot, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is al dente, according to pasta directions.
• Serve + enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Pasta Fagioli

Amount Per Serving (1.5 cups (approx))

Calories 288 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4g 6%

Sodium 1519mg 63%

Potassium 359mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 35g 12%

Dietary Fiber 9g 36%

Sugars 6g

Protein 15g 30%

Vitamin A 87.5%

Vitamin C 13.1%

Calcium 11.7%

Iron 22.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Looking for help with eating healthy?Check out our 4 Weeks of Clean Eating Guide!

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