Best Pasta Fagioli Recipe
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The Best Pasta Fagioli Soup recipe – WAY better than Olive Garden! Easy to make on the stove, crockpot or instant pot. Secretly healthy too!
This post was originally shared in January of 2019 but has since been updated.
If you’re looking for a cozy, delicious meal that’s budget friendly- you’ll definitely love this Pasta Fagioli!
With over 250 5-star reviews, it’s the ultimate comfort food: thick, hearty, and loaded with beans, pasta, a rich tomato base, and a blend of spices —way better than anything from Olive Garden.
This one pot meatless soup is simple, super flavorful, and filling! Proof you don’t need a ton of ingredients to make something delicious.
If you want other cozy meals check out Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup, Meatball Soup, or 15 Bean Soup!
Liz’s Tips for Making the Best Soup
- Cut your veggies ahead of time – You can keep them in the fridge for 24 hours so all you need to do is cook! I also use my food processor to make chopping carrots, onions, and garlic SO quick.
- Use canned beans to save time – 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.
- Add a parmesan cheese rind – You can find these in the cheese section in most stores. They add so much flavor to soups!
Ingredients
Substitutions
Olive Oil: Use a good quality oil. If you don’t have olive oil, sub avocado oil or melted butter.
Onion/Garlic: I haven’t tried making this recipe without onion/garlic. It adds a lot of flavor, so I wouldn’t omit them. You can sub onion powder and garlic powder if you don’t have fresh. Use 1 teaspoon of onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
Beans: I usually use cooked canned cannellini beans (with no or low salt) to save time. You can cook your own, or sub with navy beans or great northern beans. Make sure to drain and rinse off canned beans.
Dried Beans: If you’d like to use dried beans in this recipe, cook them before adding them to the soup. You’ll need about 1.5 cups of cooked beans.
Dried Herbs: Substitute 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs for each 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
Pasta: You can use any small pasta. Ditalini are my favorite. You can also use elbows, baby shells, or any shorter, small pasta.
Tomato Sauce: You want to use canned tomato sauce, not pasta sauce.
Broth: Any broth or stock (broth and stock are the same) can be used in any soup recipe. Beef Broth, Chicken Broth, or vegetable broth all work interchangeably. I always use low or no salt broth.
Adding meat: If you’re not vegan, you can sauté bacon or pancetta when sautéing your veggies. It does add flavor, but I honestly prefer it without. Additionally – you can add cooked ground turkey or beef to this soup and it would be delicious! Cooked shredded chicken or even chopped rotisserie chicken is delicious in this recipe too.
Spinach or extra veggies: Chopped spinach is a great addition to this recipe, I add it right before serving!
Low Sodium: Canned tomatoes, broth, and canned beans all typically have high levels of sodium. Look for no or low sodium. Feel free to add salt to taste as needed.
Extra Flavor: You could also add a parmesan cheese rind to the soup as it cooks. Parmesan cheese rinds add extra flavor! Remove it at the end like you would a bay leaf.
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, but a food processor can make this *so speedy*.
- Sauté your veggies.
- Add your spices + broth.
- Stir in your cooked beans + raw pasta.
- Bring to a boil and cook it until it’s al dente!
There are instructions for making pasta fagioli in the instant pot and in the slow cooker included in the recipe below.
All are equally as simple – and the instant pot is the fastest way to make this healthy pasta fagioli.
Can you make this in the crockpot?
Yes, you can make pasta fagioli in the crockpot, but I would really recommend making it on the stovetop. It’s super quick! When you cook pasta in the crockpot, it is hard to time it correctly; it can either be al dente, or mushy!
If you are making pasta fagioli in the crockpot, add your pasta during the last hour of cooking to avoid the pasta from getting too mushy.
Can you make This in the instant pot?
Yes, you can make pasta e fagioli in the instant pot! See below for instructions. Here are some tips for making pasta fagioli in your instant pot:
Be aware of the order of the ingredients. Tomato sauces tend to trigger a burn warning in the instant pot.
This was tested with regular macaroni. I would highly recommend a short cut like Ditalini or Macaroni.
Very important note on the pasta – I would warn against using pastas with cook times lower than Ditalini or Macaroni because that could result in over cooking. Similarly, a thicker one requiring more time would undercook. Stick to pastas that cook in the 7-9 minute range for this one!
What is pasta fagioli?
Pasta fagioli is a traditional Italian soup/stew made with beans 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 do you pronounce pasta fagioli soup – there are a few ways you can say it
- fah- zool (rhymes with school )
- fah- jole (rhymes with soul)
If you love healthy Italian recipes, try our Chicken Cacciatore.
What do you eat with this soup?
Pasta e fagioli is meant to be very thick! You should almost be able to eat it with a fork! If you prefer it soupier, just add more broth when it’s done cooking, or cook your pasta in a separate pot.
Pasta fagioli is best served with:
- a big piece of crusty bread
- lots of grated parmesan cheese on top!
- Fresh basil and cracked black pepper also add a lot of flavor!
- with a salad, this honey mustard chicken salad is delicious!
Storing and Freezing
Refrigerator: This Vegetarian Pasta Fagioli will last in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The pasta will absorb some of the broth, so you can add more broth to make the soup thinner when reheating.
Freezing: You can freeze this soup, but it isn’t as good once it has been frozen. The pasta can get a little mushy – but it’s still totally edible! I love these containers for freezing soup. For all my freezing tips, check out my post on How To Freeze Soup.
Reheating: You can reheat it in the crockpot, microwave, or on the stove. The pasta will absorb some of the liquid overnight so you can just add some broth when reheating or enjoy it thicker.
Pasta Fagioli Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 cup quartered carrots
- 2 15 oz cans cooked cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup dry ditalini pasta
Instructions
Stove Top Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Sauté the onions, garlic, and carrots for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and softened.
- Add beans, tomato sauce, basil, parsley, oregano, black pepper, red pepper, vegetable broth, and water to the pot. Stir together.
- Cover the pot and turn the heat to high. Bring the soup to a boil. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. The soup should take about 10 minutes to come to a boil.
- Once the soup reaches a boil, remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium.
- Add dry pasta and stir together. Cook over medium heat for half the recommended cooking time on the package (cook time will vary depending on the pasta shape you use).
- Important: you must undercook the pasta!
- Discard the bay leaf before serving.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Important: This recipe is best when made on the stovetop. The pasta can easily get overcooked in the instant pot.
- Set your Instant Pot to Sauté for 8 minutes. heat olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes or until oil starts to shimmer. Sauté onions, garlic and carrots in olive oil for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and softened.
- While veggies cook, drain + rinse beans.
- Make sure to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the instant pot to avoid a burn notice. Add in the pasta, beans, seasonings, water and broth to the pot. Pour the tomatoes on top. Do not stir it.
- Set the instant pot to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 2 minutes. Once the soup and do a quick release once the soup has cooked.
- Once the soup has cooked, do a quick release. Discard bay leaf. Stir + enjoy!
- Optional but recommended: You can cook your pasta on the side to avoid it being over cooked. Depending on the pasta size, this can easily over cook in the instant pot.
Crockpot Instructions
- Important: This recipe is best when made on the stovetop. The pasta can easily get overcooked in the crockpot.
- In a large pot on the stove, heat olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes or until oil starts to shimmer. Sauté onions, garlic and carrots in olive oil for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and softened.Add to crockpot base.
- While veggies cook, drain + rinse beans.
- Add tomato sauce, spices, stock, water and beans to the crockpot base. Do not add pasta! Stir until combined and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- The last hour of cooking, add your raw pasta to the crockpot. Stir to combine. Cover and cook for the remaining hour. You can also cook your pasta in a separate pot and stir it in the soup.
- Important: you should undercook the pasta. Once you remove the crockpot from the heat the pasta will continue to cook and absorb the broth. Feel free to add more broth to your liking if soup becomes too thick.
- When ready to eat, discard bay leaf. Serve + enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Cut your veggies ahead of time -You can keep them in the fridge for 24 hours so all you need to do is cook! I also use my food processor to make chopping carrots, onions + garlic SO quick.
- Use canned beans to save time: I try to find ones that are low sodium and always rinse/drain them.
- Add a parmesan cheese rind– You can find these in the cheese section in most stores. They add so much flavor to soups!
- This is best cooked on the stovetop! The past can easily overcook in the instant pot or crockpot.
This was wonderful! I definitely will be making it again. I topped it with Parmesan cheese and it was the perfect addition to an amazing dish. Thanks for such a good vegetarian recipe!
So glad you liked it, Gabrielle!!
So simple and delicious! I usually change recipes to suit my taste but not this one., it didn’t need any adjustments. Thanks for the great recipe !
So glad you liked it, Lynn! Thank you so much!
Originally found this recipe on Pinterest… heading over here to leave a review because this is an amazing recipe! Made a big batch for the week and it tasted even better on the last day. We added some chopped spinach, and an extra cup of broth. This is a crowd pleasing meal even for non-vegans. Thanks for the healthy and delicious recipe 🙂
Thank you so much, Mary! Glad you liked it!
I’ve been trying to eat less animal products and therefore I am looking for more vegan recipes. This is probably my favorite vegan lunch I’ve found!
Thanks, Amanda! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I’ve cooked this meal several times but tonight I tried this in my new Instapot and it was great! Only 5 minutes. I cant believe it! I used fresh herbs from my garden too. I sliced the carrots thinly as I hate mushy carrots. Came out perfectly. Next time I will cook 4 minutes because I like my macaroni to really have a bite to it. Thanks so much for the recipe! I appreciate your preciseness (2 T garlic) as I always put too much. The spicyness was just right too (not too much for the kids). Such a satisfying dinner.
Thank you so much, Angie! I really appreciate it! So glad you liked it.
Made this last night and loved it! I added ground turkey to it for extra protein.
Love that idea, Kate! So smart!
How was the turkey in the soup?
I’ve tried it before and it’s great! I also like shredded chicken in it!
So happy I found this recipe!!! Delicious! For mine I subbed the two cups of water for a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes (with juice), to give it a thicker consistency. I also added a can of great northern beans and a can of kidney beans! But again, fantastic recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Thank you so much, Kayla! I really appreciate it!
This recipe was 20/10 taste and it was really easy to make. I have a dairy allergy so I usually need to either substitute ingredients or search vegan recipes (which aren’t always great). This is officially in my lunch/dinner rotation!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Alexandra! Next time you should try our Healthy Potato Soup – it’s so easy, vegan and dairy free 🙂
My fiance and I decided to focus on more plant based meals this year; this recipe was one of our favorites! It is very filling and one of our staples so far.
So glad you like it, Jade!! It’s the perfect cozy, plant based meal!
This recipe is amazing!! I can’t wait to make it again!!!
Thank you so much, Megan! Glad you liked it 🙂
This recipe was delicious. We are an Italian household and my very picky Italian husband loved it. Another keeper for our collection of dinner recipes!
So glad you liked it, Lori! Enjoy!!
I am trying to figure how many beans this recipe needs. It says 30 ounces of cooked beans and also says 1 and 1/2 cups of beans. I am not sure how many I need.
Hi Ellen – You need 30 oz of cooked beans. 30 oz of cooked beans is about 1.5 cups of cooked beans. I included that under the recipe substitutions in case people don’t have a food scale to measure out beans that they cooked themselves vs. taking them out of a can.
I think you mean 30 oz of canned beans, which is actually 3 cups of cooked beans.
the recipe calls for 2 15 oz cans cannellini beans
I LOVE this soup! Very satisfying! I will make this again for sure. I had some kale I added at the end too.
So glad you liked it, Holly! Love the addition of kale!
Perfect winter dish! Very filling and pairs great with vegan parmesan & Italian garlic toast! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
So glad you liked it, Stephanie!
Amazing! My boyfriend and I agreed it was the best thing I’ve ever made. Didn’t have bay leaves so added some oregano and extra basil instead. Will double the recipe next time to freeze some!
So glad you liked it, Arielle! Great idea to freeze it 🙂 Enjoy!
Delicious!! I used dried cooked Black-eyes Peas (my favourite bean) and I also added 1/2 frozen peas along with the pasta. I sprinkled nutritional yeast on top (I’m a vegan). This dish is so yummy!!
I’m so glad you liked it, Katherine! Love those changes too 🙂
I made this last week. Kept it all vegan. Very simple recipe to follow. You don’t need to be a master chef for this to come out great! The best part is that all of the ingredients are very inexpensive yet you get a very nutritious meal out of it. This recipe will be a regular for me.
So glad you liked it, Lisa! It’s one of our favorite dishes. Vegan or not – it’s hearty and easy to make!
A super comforting and flavorful dish! You’ll want seconds for sure! I added a bit of nutritional yeast to ours for a bit of a cheesy flavor, a touch of coconut sugar and less beans. It still was delicious. That’s what I love about this recipe….you can truly tailor it to your own flavor likes.
Thank you so much Carolyn! Love the tweaks that you made to the recipe! It’s super easy to customize it 🙂
So easy to make no difficult ingredients. Perfect for cooler weather. Looking forward to making again.
Thank you so much, Tara! It’s our favorite when the weather starts to get chilly!
Made it with whole wheat elbow and used half canelini and half kidney beans. Delicious!
So glad you liked it, Jennifer!
i made this for lunches and omg best thing ever. i served with baguette and parmesan on top. i had to stop myself from amking more because im known to cook a recipe until i cant even look at it anymore lol. making again tonight. thx so much.
OMG I love this!! So glad you liked it, Lucy – bread + parm is the way to go, lol!! Enjoy!!
This recipe was SO delicious and easy to make. I was missing some of the ingredients (carrots, bay leaf) and I did add some crushed tomatoes. Flavor was great. Thanks!
Thank you so much Ri! I’m glad you liked it and that it came out great with the modifications 🙂
I made this tonight and it was AMAZING! Perfect for a cold winters night. I loved how easy this recipe was and how you’re only using 1 Pan.
I’m glad you liked it, Logan! It seriously is the perfect cold weather food!!
My wife really enjoyed this recipe! I surprised her with this for dinner, thank you
Thanks Bryan!!
Pasta Fagioli is one of my favorites! I am crazy about anything pasta, tomato, and cheese. Such a good combination 😀
Thanks, Marcus! Hope you enjoy this 🙂
It was easy to make and kept me full for hours.
So glad you liked it, Toni!
Loved this dish…..easy to make & delicious!! Reminds me of my Nonna’s pasta fagioli. 🙂
The correct pronunciation is ” fah g olli not fazull, that is Neapolitan and Roman slang.
Sorry. The recipe however is exactly the way l have always made it. Good job and thanks for sharing
Everyone says things differently!