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Pasta e Fagioli is a popular Italian tomato-based soup made with pasta, beans, vegetables, spices, and a tomato and chicken broth. It is easy to prepare, healthy, and can be customized with extra vegetables. Serve with Italian bread and grated Parmesan cheese.
Italian cooks love tomatoes. They grow them in abundance and base entire dishes on them, using them for sauces, salads, sandwiches and soups. Perhaps one of the best-known Italian tomato-based soups is Pasta e Fagioli, which translates, simply, to pasta and beans. Pasta e Fagioli is an easy dish to prepare with little preparation time, delicious and healthy.
Pasta e Fagioli generally consists of pasta, beans, vegetables, spices and a tomato and chicken broth. While there are many recipes that will have specific measurements for each ingredient, most Italian cooks measure their ingredients to taste. There are two ways to prepare the broth for Pasta e Fagioli. The first is to saute the chopped garlic and onion in olive oil until golden brown, then add the chicken broth and tomato paste. Alternatively, you can use the second method of preparing the base, which involves heating the olive oil, sautéing the garlic and onion, then adding peeled and crushed tomatoes. Simmer this combination for several minutes and the soup base is formed. If using the second method, you may need to cut the broth with a little water; the broth itself shouldn’t be as thick as pasta sauce.
To season Pasta e Fagioli broth, many cooks use a simple variety of spices including basil, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Spices like thyme and rosemary can add an extra kick if you prefer. Once the soup stock has had time to simmer, add cannellini beans — also known as white beans — and pasta to the soup. The type of pasta will vary depending on the recipe, but most will call for orecchietti, ditalini, or, in rarer cases, elbow pasta. Simmer until pasta is cooked to your liking.
There are several variations of the Pasta e Fagioli recipe, some calling for extra vegetables such as diced carrots, mushrooms or celery to give the soup an extra kick of flavor and flare. Add these extra items to your liking, but the basic recipe doesn’t usually call for these items. The simplicity of this soup is really what makes it a quick and delicious staple at Italian dinner tables.
As with most soups, the longer the pasta and beans simmer, the richer and more flavorful it will taste when served. It is a good appetizer or side dish to accompany meats, first courses, salads or simply a glass of wine. Along with the soup, serve Italian bread to mop up the extra broth, and be sure to have some grated Parmesan cheese ready to sprinkle over the soup.
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