To be completely honest, I wasn’t planning on sharing this recipe. I was simply craving a big ole pot of soup on a cold night. But once I started cooking, I remembered how this Pasta Fagioli Soup recipe smells and tastes like an actual hug from my Nana. Warm, comforting, and oh-so cozy. AKA THE BEST.
I actually grew up with this as a vegetarian soup, but Adam asked if I could add some meat to it since his Dad was coming over for dinner. Normally I’m a purist with my beloved family recipes, but I had a feeling crumbled spicy turkey sausage would be awesome in this. And I was RIGHT! It makes it taste a little bit more like Italian chili, which I’m not mad about! That being said, if you’re trying to go meatless, just leave it out. Just be sure to add some red pepper flakes for a little kick 😉
You’ll also notice that we cook the pasta noodles separately. This is really key for leftovers, so the pasta never gets soggy. I usually toss the noodles with a little bit of olive oil after they cook so they don’t stick together too much. Plus, then you get to decide how much pasta you want in your bowl with each serving.
Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 cup fresh celery, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cans cannellini beans (DO NOT DRAIN!)
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 (14 oz) cans of tomato puree
- 4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- 1/2 lb ditalini pasta
- 3 spicy turkey sausage links (optional)
- parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
1. Heat oil in a pot. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 5-8 minutes over medium high heat.
2. Once the vegetables have started to soften, add garlic, salt, and pepper. Give it a stir and then add 2 cans of beans (with the liquid - do not drain!), 4 cups of broth, tomato puree and bay leaves.
3. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer partially covered for 45 minutes-1 hour.
4. While that simmers, cook your pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.
5. If you are adding sausage, heat a drizzle of olive oil on a nonstick pan. Take the sausage out of the casing and add it to the pan, crumbling it up as it cooks. Once it's done, set aside.
6. After 45 minutes-1 hour of simmering, add the cooked sausage and chopped parsley to the soup. Taste test to see if it needs any more salt and/or pepper. Also, if the soup is too thick for your liking, add another cup or 2 of broth to thin it out.
7. To serve, add a ladle of pasta to a bowl, then a few ladles of soup on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and enjoy!
Want to remember this Pasta Fagioli Soup recipe?
PS. You might also like Cauliflower Gnocchi with Pesto, Crock Pot Detox Soup, Healthy Tomato Soup, and Slow Cooker Turkey Chili.
