This Pasta e Fagioli recipe is different than what you may be used to (for example, it’s NOT what you’d find at the Olive Garden). While authenticity of this dish differs from region to region in Italy, this simple version is akin to what I ate when I was in Italy. Authentic pasta e fagioli is usually less of a “soup” and more of a thick stew, with the main ingredients being pasta and beans. It’s one of those recipes that will make you wonder whether you should use a spoon or a fork to eat it. It may include other veggies (this version has onions, celery, tomateos, and carrots), but the bulk of the sauce is made primarily of beans. This recipe is luxuriously creamy and thick, but without adding dairy. The thickness of the sauce is achieved by mashing or pureeing some of the beans, coating every piece of pasta in a delicious, simple sauce. In this post I’ll explain how to make authentic pasta e fagioli using only a few simple ingredients, how to make it vegetarian or vegan, and how to make sure to season it perfectly to amp up the flavor!
How to make Authentic Pasta e Fagioli
The thing I LOVE about this pasta e fagioli is that it’s a ONE-POT pasta recipe! This makes clean-up easier, and it also means that the starches from the pasta are all incorporated into the dish, rather than being lost in the cooking water. Start with some pancetta (I bought it already diced at the store, which saved me some time! You can also use bacon if you prefer.). Add some onions, celery, carrots, and fresh rosemary. Sautè it all in some olive oil in a large pot until everything’s softened and starting to brown.
Then, add crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and some drained and rinsed cannellini beans. You only want to add half of them at this point- save the rest of the beans for a little later. Now here’s the most important part: use an immersion blender to puree the bean and veggie mixture directly in the pot. You don’t need it to be SUPER smooth- just thickened a bit. Only a few seconds should do it. If you don’t have an immersion blender, no worries: you can use a potato masher to mash some of the beans and veggies right in the pot. Easy peasy. Then, add the rest of the beans and pasta. You can use any small-medium sized pasta you want. I used medium shells, but you can use small shells, ditalini, rotini, or any other kind you want! Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer, until the pasta is cooked. YUM, and so easy!
How to season pasta e fagioli perfectly
The stars of this recipe are pretty bland- beans and pasta. Here are some tips and tricks to amping up the flavor, while still keeping the recipe simple and pure.
Use LOTS of salt. The pancetta/bacon will be a little salty, and if you use chicken stock as the liquid base, it will already have some salt in it, but that will depend on whether it’s homemade, or which brand of store bought you use. Add salt while it’s cooking, and then add more after as needed. Top it with fresh grated parmesan cheese, which adds more salt and also a punch of umami. Stir in some extra-virgin olive oil after it’s done cooking, and top it with even more when you serve it. EVOO has a pure taste that is adulterated when it’s heated up, so adding it cold at the end helps elevate the taste of the whole dish. For some spice, add plenty of fresh cracked red pepper and top with crushed red pepper when you serve it. Be generous with the garlic and rosemary. I originally used only a teaspoon of fresh rosemary, but in the end it needed more, so I upped the amount to one tablespoon.
How to make vegetarian or vegan pasta e fagioli
It’s so easy to make a vegetarian or vegan version of this recipe. Just omit the pancetta/bacon and use vegetable stock or water instead of chicken! Easy peasy. For a vegan version, make sure you don’t top with parmesan cheese. For both options: make sure you compensate for the omission of pancetta and chicken stock by using more salt. In case you haven’t picked up on it already, salt is KEY in this recipe!
Other easy Italian recipes
Panzanella (Italian Tomato and Bread Salad) Italian Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms Four-Ingredient Pasta with Bolognese Sauce Authentic Bucatini all’Amatriciana Quick and Easy Spaghetti alla Carbonara Four-Ingredient Baked Gnocchi Linguine with Clams (from Once Upon a Chef) Italian Mac and Cheese Pasta Puttanesca
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