My Italian white bean soup is made with cannellini beans, carrots, celery, chicken stock and onions and it's so delicious and so comforting. This Italian soup is a family recipe that we have been making for years. Â This soup is also a traditional Italian fagioli recipe where beans are pureed into the broth for a bit of creaminess and added whole as well. This soup is simple, delicious, big on flavor and so easy to make.
If you asked me what food I could eat for the rest of my life, this white bean soup or any soup recipe, would be it. Hearty soups are at the core of my cooking because they are economical and so good for you.
This version of white bean soup, also called pasta fagioli, is my favorite and the one I have been making for years. Â It is a comforting soup that is perfect in the cooler months.
If I am looking for nostalgic Italian recipes, this soup along with my recipes for cheesy polenta, garlic and olive oil pasta, pan fried gnocchi and Italian baked meatballs are always at the top of the list.
This traditional Italian bean soup does not use any meat but if I have it around, I will add some diced pancetta for extra flavor.
Italian pasta fagioli is naturally meat-free and perfect for anyone needing a vegetarian meal. This recipe is easy to make and so delicious as is but feel free to add a little bacon or pancetta if you prefer. Â
The ingredients you will need for this pasta fagioli are:
- Carrots
- Celery
- Italian cannellini beans: These are starchy Italian white beans that make the soup nice and creamy. If you cannot find them, any white bean will do. These are pureed into the broth and added in whole.
- Chicken stock (good quality)
- Parmesan cheese. I like to add the rind into the soup and grate some fresh for the top of the soup.
- Bay leaf
- Oregano. Dried oregano or fresh will work.
- Kosher salt and pepper
- Garlic
- Onion
- Red pepper flakes (optional but highly recommended)
- Canned tomatoes. I like to use diced tomatoes.
- Olive oil
- Dry pasta: I like to use ditalini (or another small shape pasta)
As I mentioned above, some of the beans are going to be pureed and some are added in whole into the soup. For this you will need a food processor or blender.
The pureed beans will look like hummus when they are finished pureeing.
How to make:
- Puree some of the beans then set aside
- Cut and prepare the carrots, celery and garlic.
- Sauté your vegetables
- Add your stock, diced tomatoes, pureed beans and whole beans and mix well.
- Add your spices and Parmesan rind
- Let simmer
- Cook the pasta
- Add cooked pasta to individual bowls and top with soup.
So simple. It does not take much to throw this Italian fagioli soup together.
How to serve Italian white bean soup
Now, for me, no soup is complete without a good side of crusty bread. This Italian white bean soup really loves a good side of bread to go along with it and my favorite one to make is this garlic crostini!
The crostini is crunchy which is good for dipping and flavored with the oregano which compliments the flavors in the soup.
The Best Way To Make the Pasta for this Italian Bean Soup
This is an Italian pasta fagioli so we cannot forget the pasta part! Traditionally pasta fagioli uses a very small pasta shape called ditalini pasta.
They look like little tiny tubes. I have been known to use any pasta shape I have lying around (penne, bow tie, etc.). Don't stress out if you can't find the ditalini. Any smaller shape of pasta will do.
One of the things that is important when making pasta for soup is to not cook the pasta in the soup. When I make pasta for soup, I never add it to the soup because the pasta will absorb all of the broth and get mushy.
As time goes by, it will eventually absorb all the broth which is not what you want.
Instead, I make the pasta then drain it and pour olive oil over the pasta to prevent it from sticking to itself. I just set the pasta aside until the soup is ready.
Once the fagioli is ready, I scoop some pasta into a soup bowl and then ladle the soup over the top. This tip is helpful for any soup that calls for pasta in it.
Toppings
If you were eating this Italian white bean soup (fagioli) at my house, you would hear me asking everyone at the table if they remembered to pepper their fagioli before eating it. Copious amounts of freshly ground black pepper is a must when eating this Italian soup.
It doesn't work to add it to the soup while it is cooking. You need to grind a good amount of fresh black pepper over top of your bowl before eating.
Pasta Fagioli is an economical and delicious meal that anyone can make. You can stock most of the ingredients for this recipe in your pantry so it is always a quick go-to meal when you are in a hurry but still want something that is delicious and healthy. Â
I make this fagioli soup in Fall, Winter, and Spring for family and guests and everyone loves it.
Pairing Ideas
If you are looking for ideas of what to serve with this Italian white bean soup, here are our favorites:
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Italian White Bean Soup (Pasta e Fagioli)
Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Ingredients
- 32 oz box of good quality chicken stock or if you have homemade even better
- 15 oz can of cannellini beans for the puree, drained and rinsed
- 30 oz cans of cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 5 medium sized carrots diced
- 2 celery spears diced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves of garlic finely diced
- a pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and pepper plus more salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated for serving
- 1 Parmesan rind if you save the rinds of your Parmesan then throw that into the soup. If you do not, you can cut the rind off of the block of Parmesan you are using.
- ½ lb ditalini pasta
- 2 tablespoon olive oil for sauteeing
- 2 tablespoon olive oil for puree
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for drizzling over cooked pasta
Instructions
- Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot over medium heat.2 tablespoon olive oil for sauteeing
- Once pot is heated add onions, garlic, celery, carrots and red pepper flakes and saute for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and carrots and celery are slightly softened.5 medium sized carrots, 2 celery spears, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 small yellow onion, a pinch of red pepper flakes
- While the veggies are sauteeing, add one can of cannellini beans that have been drained and rinsed to a food processor (or blender) with 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil and puree until it is smooth. You may need to add water if the paste is too thick and not blending well. When done set aside.15 oz can of cannellini beans, 2 tablespoon olive oil for puree
- Now, add your chicken stock to the pot of sautéing vegetables along with your pureed beans and mix well. The pureed beans will mix in more after heating up in the soup so don't worry about some lumps.32 oz box of good quality chicken stock
- Add the rinsed cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf, parmesan rind (if you have one to add) and salt and pepper to taste.32 oz box of good quality chicken stock, 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, 1 Parmesan rind, 30 oz cans of cannellini beans
- Let simmer for about 30 minutes.
- In the meantime in another pot boil some water for your ditalini pasta. Cook the pasta per the box instructions.½ lb ditalini pasta
- When the pasta is done strain it and add it to a bowl (not the soup) and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking. Set aside NOTE: If you add the pasta to the soup it will absorb all the soup liquid and expand and eventually you'll be left with no broth.1 tablespoon olive oil for drizzling over cooked pasta
- To serve, place a heaping spoonful of pasta in a soup bowl then add your Fagioli soup over top. Add a ¼ of your freshly grated Parmesan cheese to each bowl. Discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaf before serving.½ cup Parmesan cheese
- Serve with some crusty garlic bread and lots of freshly grated black pepper!
- Enjoy!!
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer here
JBerning says
Made this for dinner. Modified the recipe using Better Than Boullion No-Chicken broth since we are vegetarian and added about 2 cups of cabbage that I cooked with the other veggies. It turned out so good that I can't stop eating it. The soup has a little bit of a creamy consistency from the blended beans, which is great. Could make this vegan by omitting the cheese and it would still be amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
Melissa says
I am so glad you are enjoying it 🙂 I love the idea of adding cabbage- that sounds delicious!
Natalia says
This was so flavorful and authentic! The kiddos loved the pasta 🙂
Melissa says
so glad to hear that!
Bethany says
This was amazing. I used ditalini pasta and halved the recipe since it was just two of us.