Pasta e Fagioli is an Italian pasta and beans soup, with lots of veggies and sausage. This incredible Olive Garden copycat soup is made with mostly pantry items, and some fresh veggies and meat. This is a hearty soup that is filling and so delicious!
What is Pasta e Fagioli?
This is a traditional Italian peasant soup. Peasant soup just means that it was, and is, made with inexpensive and easily accessible ingredients. The name translates to "pasta and beans."
My version has bulk Italian sausage in it, but you can easily omit that and enjoy the original lovely and healthy vegetarian version of this soup.
Pasta e Fagioli is one of my top 5 favorite soup recipes!
What Makes This Soup Great
• Inexpensive to make. There are several canned ingredients, which are budget friendly.
• Amazing flavors. It tastes rich and delicious.
• Easy to make. Chop a few veggies, open a few cans, sauté the onion and sausage. That's as hard as it gets.
• Hearty and filling. This pasta and beans soup recipe is filling, and makes a nice big pot full.
Steps to Make the Best Italian Soup
A Few Tips For a Great Result
• Use low sodium broth.
• Try not to use a maple flavored bacon. It will taste weird. Applewood or hickory smoked works the best.
• Use a hot Italian bulk sausage for a little kick of heat. It won't be too much. Or use regular Italian bulk sausage and add some crushed red pepper flakes for some spice.
• Be sure to rinse the canned beans for a less salty result.
• If you don't have ditalini pasta, you can substitute orzo in the same quantity. Cook it to al dente.
Every bite of Pasta e Fagioli soup will have all kinds of delicious ingredients in it. The texture is perfect!
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Pin This Yummy Italian Soup Recipe
If you make this wonderful pasta and beans soup recipe, please let me know! Just leave a comment with a star rating below. I'd love to know how you liked it!
Pasta e Fagioli
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 5 slices Thick Cut Bacon, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 lg Onion, chopped
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 Carrots, chopped
- 1 rib Celery, chopped
- 5 lg cloves Garlic, pressed, grated, or finely minced
- 3 tsp Chopped Fresh Rosemary Leaves
- 3 Fresh Sprigs of Thyme (each sprig with 3 or 4 stems)
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 1 lb Bulk Italian Sausage (use Hot for a little spice kick)
- 1 (14.5 oz) can Diced Tomatoes (with liquid)
- 1 (15 oz) can Tomato Sauce
- 1 (15.5 oz) can Cannellini Beans (drained & rinsed)
- 1 (15.25 oz) can Red Kidney Beans (drained & rinsed)
- 1 (15.5 oz) can Garbanzo Beans (drained & rinsed)
- 3 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (Use 4 cups for a more soupy result)
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
For the Pasta
- 4 cups Water
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 cup Ditilini Pasta
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook the bacon until done. Remove the bacon to a plate and set aside. Keep about 2 Tbsp of the bacon fat in the pot.
- Add the olive oil, onion, bay leaves, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts to turn translucent.
- Add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook about 30 seconds.
- Add the sausage, breaking it up as you cook it, until mostly cooked.
- Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir.
- Add all of the beans. Cover the pot and cook on low until the carrots are softened. Stir occasionally.
- While the soup is cooking, to another pot add 4 cups of water, 2 tsp of salt, 1 tsp oil, and bring to a boil. Then add the ditalini pasta and cook until done. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside.
- When the soup is done, remove fom heat and stir in the parmesan.
- Add the cooked pasta and stir. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Resources to Make this Recipe and More
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Lisa says
This soup is now on the family meal rotation! I made it for the first time for a group of friends and they all loved it! I added a parmesan rind to the simmering soup which made it over the top yummy! I serve it with pasta on the side as it absorbs all the liquid if I add it in. Thank you for posting this!
Sandy says
I'm glad you liked it. The pasta shouldn't absorb all of the liquid if the ingredients are measured, but there is no harm in adding cooked pasta at the time of serving, as you did.
Craig says
Hands down the best soup I ever made. Flavors, texture on point.