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A white serving bowl of pasta e fagioli soup topped with bacon, parsley and parmesan cheese, and surrounded by torn bread, uncooked pasta, a black serving spoon, italian parsley and a decorative blue and white dish cloth.
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4.97 from 29 votes

Pasta e Fagioli

This easy Pasta e Fagioli recipe is a classic, budget-friendly Italian soup that combines beans, pasta, vegetables, and a flavorful tomato-based broth.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Total Cost: $6.71 RECIPE / $1.12 SERVING
Servings: 6 servings, 1.5 cups each
Calories: 248kcal
Author: Marion Kirkpatrick
Cost: $6.71 RECIPE / $1.12 SERVING

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven
  • Liquid Measuring Cup
  • Color Cutting Boards

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. bacon $1.20
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.13
  • 1 onion $0.37
  • 2 carrots $0.29
  • 3 stalks celery $0.32
  • 4 cloves garlic $0.32
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano $0.08
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes $0.04
  • 1/2 tsp salt $0.02
  • 1/2 tsp pepper $0.02
  • 1 15oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed $0.89
  • 1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes, with juices $1.69
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 cups vegetable broth* $0.24
  • 1 cup ditalini (uncooked)** $0.39
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese $0.36
  • 1/4 cup Flat-leaf Italian parsley, roughly chopped $0.35

Instructions

  • Chop the bacon into smaller pieces and add them to a large pot with the olive oil. Fry on medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy (around 10 minutes).
  • While the bacon is frying, finely dice the onion, carrots, and celery.
  • Remove half of the cooked bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave behind the rest of the meat and any rendered fat in the pot.
  • Add the finely diced onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to the pot. Saute the vegetables on medium-high heat until they are softened (around 6 minutes).
  • Add the white beans, canned tomatoes (with juices), water, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir everything to combine, then bring the soup up to a boil.
  • Once boiling, let it cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
  • Add the pasta to the soup and cook, uncovered, according to the package directions, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. If the broth has reduced too much (the pasta will absorb a lot of the flavorful broth as it cooks), add another ½ cup of water, taste it, and adjust the seasonings again if needed.
  • Serve in bowls topped with the reserved bacon, any left over chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh-cracked black pepper, and a side of warm, crusty bread.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*We use Better Than Bouillon to make our broth. If you use a low-sodium broth, you may need to add more salt to your taste.
**If you plan to keep leftovers or freeze this soup for later, cook the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions and skip Step 6. (Split the pasta between bowls and spoon over the soup to serve.) Freeze the pasta and soup separately for up to 3 months, or keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days before reheating and combining.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 744mg | Fiber: 2g