Pasta Fagioli
Summary
I’ve stirred together a little piece of Italian magic for you guys… Pasta Fagioli. You guys, When I tell you this is to die for I mean it, It is that kind of dish that brings a smile to your face, and your family’s face with every bite. Think tender pasta, creamy beans, and a rich tomato broth mixed up with just the right amount of bacon… Yeah, It’s so delicious I can’t even put it into words. This soup is like a reminder of going to grandma’s house and kicking your feet in wait for that perfect dish. And the best part? It’s topped with a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano, And you guys know I love Pecorino Romano more then anything 😂. That just takes it to the next level. Trust me my friends, once you taste this dish your only problem will be hoping you made enough. You know what to do… Make it!
❤️ Why You’ll Love Pasta Fagioli
Why you’ll love Pasta Fagioli? It’s simple… This dish really brings out flavors you are looking for in a meal like this. Like I said earlier It’s just a reminder of the years of perfection it took to make a dish like this. I think everyone atleast has to try a meal like this once in your life. You can just taste the freshness of all the ingredients, While my son was sick I could honestly say this dish made him feel a little better. This dish is personally one of my son’s favorite dishes I’ve made him and he always ask’s me to make it everytime he comes home from college 😂! I really can’t blame him because this dish is also one of favorite dishes and always has me feeling warm and cozy after an amazing meal like this!
👩🍳 How to Make Pasta Fagioli
- In a large pot, add chopped bacon and render the fat on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- In a bowl add peeled tomatoes and crush then with your hands, set aside.
- In the pot add in chopped onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, salt & pepper, olive oil, and sauté until the bacon is, NOT crisp…just until it’s golden and fatty.
- Then shake over your flour and whisk continuously for 3-4 minutes.
- Fill the 28 oz tomato can with water and add into the pot, whisk again for about 5 minutes on medium to high heat.
- Bring the pot to a boil, add in 1 can of drained rinsed cannellini beans and mash then up in the pot using a potato masher until a crushed but not pureed
- Then add in crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of water, Pecorino Romano hunk, bay leaves, and let it boil uncovered for about 30 minutes.
- Layer with salt & pepper as you go to taste
- Once the soup reduces in the pot about 1/4 of the way down, add in 2 cans of drained rinsed cannellini beans and ditalini pasta; boil until the ditalini is al dente, about 11 minutes.
- Once you take it off the burner, while it’s still hot, add in ripped basil and stir together.
- When serving garnish with grated Pecorino Romano and extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- For a little extra kick, try crisping the bacon until it’s just golden but not too crisp. It gives you that smoky sensation and flavor and it’s so delicious.
- If you want to thicken the broth and add a bit of a creamy texture, Try mashing a can of cannellini beans before adding it.
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers? Let’s be real my friends after this dish there won’t be any 😂, But if there is store all your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. And when you want to reheat it, Simply add a little water or broth to it and heat it up, It’ll be just as delicious as when it came out!
🤔 Common Questions
Yes, Cannellini beans are traditional, but feel free to use great northern beans or even chickpeas if you so desire.
Absolutely! Skip the bacon and use vegetable broth to keep it hearty and flavorful without the meat.
Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients
- 6 slices of bacon chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 28 oz San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes can
- 8 garlic cloves chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste must layer as you go
- Shake of crushed red pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp of garlic powder to taste
- 4 tbsp flour
- 28 oz Water; fill can with water + 6 more cups
- 3 cans Cannellini beans drained & rinsed
- 3 oz hunk of Pecorino Romano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lb of ditalini pasta
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- A handful of basil ripped up
Instructions
- In a large pot, add chopped bacon and render the fat on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- In a bowl add peeled tomatoes and crush then with your hands, set aside.
- In the pot add in chopped onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, salt & pepper, olive oil, and sauté until the bacon is, NOT crisp…just until it’s golden and fatty.
- Then shake over your flour and whisk continuously for 3-4 minutes.
- Fill the 28 oz tomato can with water and add into the pot, whisk again for about 5 minutes on medium to high heat.
- Bring the pot to a boil, add in 1 can of drained rinsed cannellini beans and mash then up in the pot using a potato masher until a crushed but not pureed
- Then add in crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of water, Pecorino Romano hunk, bay leaves, and let it boil uncovered for about 30 minutes.
- Layer with salt & pepper as you go to taste
- Once the soup reduces in the pot about 1/4 of the way down, add in 2 cans of drained rinsed cannellini beans and ditalini pasta; boil until the ditalini is al dente, about 11 minutes.
- Once you take it off the burner, while it’s still hot, add in ripped basil and stir together.
- When serving garnish with grated Pecorino Romano and extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
Video
Excellent recipe Melissa! Used great northern beans and I added some diced leftover rotisserie chicken. We loved it! Thanks.
I do not even know how I ended up here but I thought this post was great I dont know who you are but definitely youre going to a famous blogger if you arent already Cheers.
I enjoy reading a post that can make people think. Also, many thanks for permitting me to comment!
I made this (enough for one for a week) it was the best Pasta Fagioli I’ve ever had.