Pasta e Fagioli Soup (also known as Pasta Fazool), is a comforting Italian-style soup made with pasta and beans. This hearty, super cozy version is loaded with savory Italian sausage, creamy kidney beans, tender elbow pasta, fresh carrots, onions, and garlic, with Italian herbs and brown sugar (for a touch of sweetness), all in white wine tomato-based broth.
Why You’ll Love it:
- Easy to Find Ingredients– all of the ingredients used in this soup can easily be found in most grocery stores.
- Budget Friendly– the ingredients in this recipe are also inexpensive. A large pot can be made for under $20.
- One-Pot Recipe– for ease, less mess, and less clean-up.
- Warming & Comforting– making it a perfect choice for autumn and winter nights.
Ingredient Notes:
Find the full list of ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
- Ground Italian Sausage– traditionally Pasta e Fagioli is not made with meat, but for this version I’ve used sausage to bulk up the soup and add to the flavor. Mild or spicy can be used. Chicken or turkey sausage can also be used for a little less fat.
- Canned Tomato Sauce-using canned tomato sauce and diced tomatoes cuts down on prep time, making this a great weeknight recipe.
- Elbow pasta– or any short-cut pasta.
- Brown Sugar- a touch of brown sugar balances the acidity from the tomatoes and white wine.
- Dry White Wine– used to de-glaze the pot and helps bring out the fruity sweetness of the tomatoes. If you don’t want to buy a whole bottle, white wine can be purchased in single serving containers that are great for cooking.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Sausage can be substituted for ground beef, bacon, pancetta, turkey or chicken sausage.
- To make this soup vegetarian, omit the Parmesan and sausage (or use ground vegetarian breakfast sausage) and substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- To make it gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free short cut pasta.
- To make it dairy free, omit Parmesan cheese.
- Not a kidney bean fan? Try out Pasta e Ceci or “pasta and chickpeas”.
- To spice things up, use hot Italian sausage and/or add crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add a bit of green with roughly chopped spinach or kale. If using kale, gently massage it before adding to pasta and beans to tenderize and release some bitterness.
Tips & Recipe Notes:
- As pasta and beans cook, they soak up some of the broth and release starch that thickens the soup. To make it a thinner, soupy consistency, add broth as needed. Or for an even thicker, stew-like consistency, mash a few beans as they cook.
- Leftovers, when properly stored in an airtight container, will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Note: pasta continues to soak up broth even after cooking, and becomes soggy after a few days. When reheating, additional broth may be needed.
- If meal prepping, making-ahead, or freezing, make and store the soup and pasta separately. Soup base will last up to 1 month if properly stored in the freezer. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and add pasta when ready to serve.
- Soup reheats well on the stove top, stirring occasionally, over medium heat. Add broth as needed.
More Soup & Stew Recipes You Will Love:
- Creamy Bacon, Mushroom, & Parmesan Tortellini Soup
- Easy Spicy Sausage & White Bean Soup
- Creamy Sausage, Kale, & Ravioli Soup
- Black Eyed Pea Stew
- Garlic & Bacon Brothy White Bean Soup
- (The Best) Slow Cooker Chili
- Creamy Cabbage & Orzo Stew
- Creamy Mushroom & Pearl Couscous Soup
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Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Italian Pasta & Beans)
Pasta e Fagioli Soup (also known as Pasta Fazool), is a comforting Italian-style soup made with pasta and beans. This hearty and super cozy version is loaded with savory Italian sausage, creamy kidney beans, tender elbow pasta, fresh carrots, onions, and garlic, with Italian herbs and brown sugar (for a touch of sweetness), all in white wine tomato-based broth.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage
- 2/3 cups yellow onion diced
- 1/2 cup carrots sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 8 oz can roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
- 3-4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt & ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup elbow pasta
- 15 oz can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp Italian parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan grated
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil or butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add ground Italian sausage and cook, stirring occasionally until crumbled and mostly brown. If there is too much fat in the pot, drain, leaving about 1 tbsp.
- Add diced onion and sliced carrots- continue to cook and stir another 4-6 mins until vegetables begin to soften and sausage has browned. Add minced garlic and cook another minute.
- Pour in white wine. Let simmer for a minute, scraping the brown bits from bottom of pot.
- Stir in canned tomato sauce, canned diced tomatoes, brown sugar, and herbs. Add chicken broth and bay leaf, stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, then turn heat back down to a simmer. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
- Add kidney beans and pasta. Let soup come back to a simmer and cook 10-15 minutes, adding broth as needed, until pasta is al dente and beans are warmed through.
- Remove soup from heat. Remove bay leaf and stir in chopped parsley. Stir in half grated Parmesan cheese and set the rest to the side for topping. Add salt and pepper if needed, and serve.
Notes
- Ground Italian Sausage– traditionally Pasta e Fagioli is not made with meat, but for this version I’ve used sausage to bulk up the soup and add to the flavor. Mild or spicy can be used. Chicken or turkey sausage can also be used for a little less fat.
- Canned Tomato Sauce-using canned tomato sauce and diced tomatoes cuts down on prep time, making this a great weeknight recipe.
- Brown Sugar– a touch of brown sugar balances the acidity from the tomatoes and white wine.
- Dry White Wine– used to de-glaze the pot and helps bring out the fruity sweetness of the tomatoes. If you don’t want to buy a whole bottle, white wine can be purchased in single serving containers that are great for cooking.
- To make this soup vegetarian, omit the Parmesan and sausage (or use ground vegetarian breakfast sausage) and substitute the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
- To make it gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free short cut pasta.
- To make it dairy free, omit Parmesan cheese.
- Finding the right consistency-as pasta and beans cook, they soak up some of the broth and release starch that thickens the soup.
- To make it a thinner soupy consistency, add extra broth as needed.
- Additionally, pasta can be cooked separately and added right before serving.
- Or for an even thicker stew-like consistency, mash a few beans as they cook.
- Leftovers, when properly stored in an airtight container, will last up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
- Note: pasta continues to soak up broth even after cooking, and becomes soggy after a few days. When reheating, additional broth may be needed.
- If meal prepping, making-ahead, or freezing, make and store the soup and pasta separately.
- Soup base will last up to 1 month if properly stored in the freezer. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and add pasta when ready to serve.
- Soup reheats well on the stove top, stirring occasionally, over medium heat. Add broth as needed.
- Nutritional information is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients and amounts used.
Nutrition
Calories: 317kcalCarbohydrates: 33.4gProtein: 21.9gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3.9gCholesterol: 24.5mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8.9g
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