Name: Classic Pasta Fagioli
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 carrots, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 1 medium onion, diced; 4 oz pancetta, chopped; 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes; 1 handful basil; 2 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon oregano; ¾ cups ditalini; 4 cups chicken broth; 1 can cannellini beans; 1 parmesan rind; 1 bag spinach, chopped; 2 tablespoon olive oil; 2 tablespoon tomato paste

A classic Italian soup that you can order at any old-school Italian joint. Classic Pasta Fagioli or "pasta fazool" is a hearty tomato-based soup with pancetta and ditalini pasta that makes an easy family dinner that everyone will love!

Pasta fagiolo topped with parmesan in a bowl.

Looking for more classic Italian soups? Try ourItalian Wedding Soup, Manhattan Clam Chowder, orZuppa Toscana.

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Pronouncing Pasta Fagioli

I'm at the point now where I don't even know what to call pasta fagioli anymore. Do I pronounce it correctly, like it was meant to be in Italian "faa-jow-lee", or do I say it like my family says it, Pasta Fazool? I go back and forth between the two right now. Either way, pasta fagioli with spinach is a healthy and delicious soup that I love to have on hand.

Pasta e fagioli just means pasta and beans. In our case, ditalini and cannellini beans. This, combined with fried pancetta and slowly sauteed sofrito, makes for a very flavorful soup with plenty of depth.

It's a delicious classic, maybe not as old as Classic Italian Minestroneor Spaghetti Carbonara, but not quite as new as One-Pot Lasagna Soup. This is one of my favorite soups to make at home. It's so easy and flavorful, plus my son loves it.

Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

Ditalini. Some people prefer to cook pasta in the soup for the flavor and some prefer to cook it separately so it doesn't soak up the soup. I'll leave that up to you to decide! In soups like this one or Pasta e Ceci (Italian Pasta and Chickpea Soup), I cook the pasta in the soup to give it a stew-like texture.
Beans. I prefer cannellini beans because the white bean northern beans tend to be a little softer and get mushy in the soup and break apart. Some people also throw in kidney beans.
Parmesan rind. This will add some extra salty and nutty flavor to the soup. Just remove it before you serve.
Spinach. A leafy green is a great way to add some extra nutritious goodness to the meal. You can use spinach tuscan kale or escarole. Leafy greens in soup are my favorite and you can also try our Escarole and Beans Soup!
Pancetta. In my opinion, pancetta makes the dish. It gives it a bit of extra smokiness in flavor. Definitely recommend.
Crushed Tomatoes. I use whole tomatoes and hand crush them or a can of crushed tomatoes.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.

How to Make Pasta Fagioli

Step 1: In a large dutch oven or pot, add chopped pancetta and raise the heat to medium. Saute until the fat renders and the pancetta becomes crispy. It will take about 8 minutes.

Step 2: Stir in the carrots, celery, and onions and saute for about 10 minutes until they are softened. Add half of the salt, pepper, and oregano during this process.

carrots, onions, and celery combined with tomato paste in the dutch oven.

Step 3: Make a well in the vegetables where you can place the tomato paste. Let it caramelize in the pot for 3 minutes before stirring it into the vegetables. Then stir it throughout the vegetables and let the vegetables cook for a few more minutes.

Crushed tomatoes, seasoning, basil, and bay leaves added to the vegetables.

Step 4: Pour crushed tomatoes into the vegetables and add the basil, the rest of the seasonings, and the bay leaves. Bring it to a simmer.

Step 5: Pour in the chicken stock, and add the parmesan rind. Stir everything together and bring it to a boil. Then return the soup to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Ditalini and beans added to the dutch oven.

Step 6: Add the cannellini beans and ditalini and simmer for another 15 minutes until the pasta has softened. Stir occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Spinach added on top of the soup in the dutch oven.

Step 7: Add the spinach and cover for 3 minutes. Remove the cover and stir in the spinach.

Spinach wilted and mixed into the pasta fagiolo

Step 8: Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind and serve.

Serve pasta fagioli with freshly grated parmesan. It is perfect to serve for lunch on its own or alongside a salad like an Easy Chipotle BBQ Chicken Salad, Grilled Shrimp Salad with Mango Lime Dressing, or a Caesar salad with Traditional Caesar Dressing. Or if you want the soup and a sandwich vibe, the Chopped Italian Sandwich is the way to go!

Pro-Tips

To release the most flavor from the tomato paste, let it caramelize on the bottom of the dutch oven for a few moments before adding the tomatoes and broth.
I prefer to cook my pasta in the soup because the pasta will absorb the flavor, but you can cook it separately if you think you'll have leftovers. This way the pasta won't absorb all the broth while in the fridge.
Hand-crush the can of tomatoes. I like a bit of chunkiness to the tomatoes in the soup. If you prefer it to be smooth, use an immersion blender to blend them before pouring them into the vegetables.

Pasta fagiolo topped with parmesan in a bowl next to the full pot of soup.

Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between pasta fagioli and minestrone?

Fagioli always includes beans and tends to be chunkier and heartier than minestrone which is typically just vegetables.

What does fagioli mean in Italian?

Fagioli, pronounced faa-jow-lee, means beans in Italian. So pasta e fagioli means pasta and beans!

Can I freeze pasta fagioli?

Yes, absolutely! I make this recipe with freezing in mind. We keep half in the fridge and half in the freezer. Wait until the soup cools and then transfer it to a Ziploc bag. I like to place it on an ice pack for 15 minutes or so before transferring it to the freezer.

What should I serve with pasta fagioli?

This dish can stand on its own or be served with lunch or dinner. It goes great with a salad or chicken cutlets. I like to have pasta fagioli as a snack before lunch. Just a small bowl to warm me up before the meal. It's also great served with classics like chicken francese or chicken marsala!

This is one of the classic Olive Garden all-you-can-eat soups. This is nothing like the one they serve obviously but it is similar sort of like our Zuppa Toscana or our Better Than Olive Garden Eggplant Parmigiana.