in Recipes, Travel & Food

Recipe We Love : Pasta e Fagioli Traditional Italian Meal

by Maria Faber June 18, 2022, 4:01 pm 1.9k Views

Pasta e Fagioli, often known as Pasta Fazool, is an old-traditional Italian meal.

It’s the kind of dish your Nonna (grandmother) would prepare for you if you’re Italian.

Pasta e Fagioli is an Italian phrase that means “pasta with beans.”

With beans, veggies, and pasta in a thick creamy sauce, it’s similar to minestrone soup.

It can be compared to a Pasta Soup.

This recipe can easily be made vegan by omitting the parmesan cheese.

The best thing is that it’s all done in one pot, making cleanup a breeze. It’s also created with pantry and fridge items that most people have on hand, so it’s a fantastic meal to cook when you don’t have time to go shopping.

Ingredients to make Pasta e Fagioli

Fagioli Beans, also known as Borlotti Beans, are the dish’s star. Cannellini beans or Red Kidney beans can also be used as an alternative. You can use dry beans that have been soaked and then cooked in an instant pot instead of canned beans.
Pasta, as short pasta or pastina, is generally used. I used Orecheiette, which I really like because it scoops up the sauce like little buckets.
Onion, Carrots, Celery make up your soffritto which is the base of the soup
Bay leaves have a wonderful flavor, When sautéed with the soffritto.
Garlic enhances the flavor of any food.
Nutmeg adds a beautiful earthiness to it.
Potato is also one of the best additions as it adds body and creaminess.
Tomato Paste I prefer tomato paste to canned tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or tomato sauce because it is more concentrated and has a richer flavor.
Vegetable Stock I made it vegan and vegetarian by using vegetable stock, but you may use chicken broth if you wish.
Parmigiano Reggiano rind is an optional ingredient that can be left out to make the recipe vegan. A little cube of parmesan rind added to the sauce adds a lovely scent and a light cheesy richness. Before serving, it is discarded.

How To Make Pasta e Fagioli

Time Needed: 35 minutes

1- Prepare soffritt

To prepare a soffritto, dice the onion, carrots, and celery into tiny cubes. In a pot over medium heat, with bay leaves and a pinch of salt in olive oil.

After a few minutes, toss in the chopped garlic and stir well. Then add 3 tablespoons of concentrated tomato paste and cook for 3-5 minutes.

2- Add stock and simmer

Pour in vegetable stock and water, and season with salt and pepper.

Chop the potato into tiny chunks and add to the pot with the nutmeg. Simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium heat with the cover on.

3- Reserve mixture and add pasta

Remove a cup of the mixture from the pot once the vegetables are done cooking and set it aside for now.

With the cover on, add the spaghetti and a touch of salt.

4- Make creamy sauce

Drain a can of beans and add roughly a quarter of them to the side-by-side mixture. Blend the contents in a blender once it has cooled to make a creamy sauce.

Add the beans and the creamy sauce to the saucepan when the pasta is halfway done and boil together for a few minutes.

5- Serve

Toss with chopped parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese in a bowl. Enjoy!

Tips To Make an Amazing Pasta e Fagioli

Ensure that the veggies for the soffritto are chopped into small tiny, uniform size cubes so that they all cook at the same time.
Before adding the stock, always fry the tomato paste (don’t burn it, just fry it for a short time as we mentioned before) It brings out all of the lovely flavors while also removing any raw tomato taste.
I made a note of it in my recipe. 2 to 3 cups water It’s preferable to start with 2 cups and add the third cup if necessary. Because different pasta shapes absorb different amounts of water, you can tell if more water is required.
Before placing into bowls, remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind.
To avoid overcooking or becoming mushy, add the beans near the conclusion of the cooking procedure.

FAQs

Is There Meat in Pasta e Fagioli?

Some recipes call for pancetta and different meat, but I created a vegetarian and vegan-friendly version.

Is Pasta e Fagioli a nutritious healthy dish?

Yes, it’s packed with vegetables and, thanks to beans, a wonderful source of protein and nutrients.

Is it possible to freeze Pasta e Fagioli?

Yes, for a period of 2 to 3 months. When freezing, it’s best to do it without the pasta because it will soften when reheated. When warming, the veggies will soften as well, so if you plan to freeze a batch, make sure to undercook the soup so that it will maintain a beautiful texture when you decide to reheat it later. Then add some new fresh pasta to the soup.