Pasta e Fagioli is a classic Italian soup loaded with hearty ground beef, beans, and pasta. This is an easy recipe for a one pot comfort meal that you can make in under one hour!
This delicious homemade Pasta e Fagioli is one of my favorite soups because it has all my favorite ingredients: veggies, ground beef, beans, and pasta. It’s perfectly comforting for cold nights during the Fall and Winter, and you can make the whole meal in one pot in just under 1 hour.
What does Pasta e Fagioli means?
From Italian, “Pasta e Fagioli” simply means pasta and beans, which are two main ingredients in this dish.
How to make it
Sauté the onion. Preheat a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium/high heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, add 1 chopped onion and cook for about 10 minutes, or until it’s softened and caramelized.
Cook the meat. Add 1 pound ground beef. Using a wooden spoon, break it down into smaller pieces and cook for about7 minutes or until it’s cooked through with no pink color remaining.
Add other ingredients. Add 2 chopped carrots and stir in. Now we can add 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 15 oz kidney beans, and 15 oz great northern beans. Pour in 4 cups chicken stock and 2 cups water, then stir.
Season. Add 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste.
Cook. Stir and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat to medium/low, cover with the lid and let it cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add Pasta. Then remove the lid, increase the heat back to high and add 1 cup of ditalini pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes or until it’s cooked al dente. Make sure you stir often, so the pasta doesn’t stick.
Add herbs and serve. Add ½ cup chopped parsley and stir. Serve with some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.
Options and Substitutions
- The classic recipe askes for great northern beans. If you can’t find them in the store, you can substitute them with pinto or cannellini beans. Although, they will have a slightly different flavor and texture.
- I prefer to use 90% lean ground beef, so it doesn’t produce too much fat and makes the soup greasy.
- Also, the classic version of this soup uses ditalini pasta. If you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute it with elbow or small shell pasta.
- To make this meal TRULY a “one pot meal”, I like to cook the pasta right in the soup, which makes the broth a bit thicker. If you don’t want thicker broth, you can cook the pasta separately, and add it to the soup at the end.
- I usually just use onions and carrots in this recipe. You also can add some celery and garlic for more flavor.
- If you don’t have dried oregano and thyme, you can use 1 tablespoons of Italian seasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
When the soup is cooled off, transfer it to an air-tight container. You can refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
I don’t like to freeze anything with cooked pasta. But if you still want to, transfer it to a freezer bag or an air-tight container, and freeze up to 3 months.
I always like to serve this meal with some fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for freshness and creaminess.
Also, some freshly baked bread will make it truly comforting! (like this Sandwich Bread Recipe, Potato Rolls Recipe, or Easy Dinner Rolls).
Hungry for more Soup?
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- White Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup
- Instant Pot Minestrone
- Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
- Beef Borscht Recipe
- Instant Pot Chicken Soup
- Cold Beet Soup
Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 large carrots diced
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz great northern beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt, pepper to taste
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- Parmesan cheese freshly grated, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium/high heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, add 1 chopped onion and cook for about 10 minutes, or until it’s softened and caramelized.
- Add 1 pound ground beef. Using a wooden spoon, break it down into smaller pieces and cook for about 7 minutes or until it’s cooked through with no pink color remaining.
- Add 2 chopped carrots and stir in. Now we can add 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 15 oz kidney beans, and 15 oz great northern beans. Pour in 4 cups chicken stock and 2 cups water, then stir.
- Add 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat to medium/low, cover with the lid and let it cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Then remove the lid, increase the heat back to high and add 1 cup of ditalini pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes or until it’s cooked al dente. Make sure you stir often, so the pasta doesn’t stick.
- Add ½ cup chopped parsley and stir. Serve with some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.
Notes
- The classic Pasta e Fagioli recipe askes for great northern beans. If you can’t find them in the store, you can substitute them with pinto or cannellini beans. Although, they will have a slightly different flavor and texture.
- I prefer to use 90% lean ground beef, so it doesn’t produce too much fat and makes the soup greasy.
- Also, the classic version of this soup uses ditalini pasta. If you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute it with elbow pasta or small shell pasta.
- To make this meal TRULY a “one pot meal”, I like to cook the pasta right in the soup, which makes the broth a bit thicker. If you don’t want thicker broth, you can cook the pasta separately, and add it to the soup at the end.
- I usually just use onions and carrots in this recipe. You also can add some celery and garlic for more flavor.
- If you don’t have dried oregano and thyme, you can use 1 tablespoons of Italian seasoning.
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