From the roundup: 22 Quick 30 Minute Dinner Recipes for Busy Nights
Pasta e fagioli is one of those soups I make when I need dinner to happen fast and I haven’t thought ahead. Five minutes of chopping, one pot, and about 20 minutes on the stove. The whole thing is built from things I keep in the pantry anyway: canned cannellini beans, crushed tomatoes, a box of ditalini, and broth. If you have a parmesan rind in the freezer, drop it in. If not, it’s still good.
The texture is closer to a thick stew than a brothy soup, which is the point. You get there by mashing about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot while it simmers. No blender, no extra steps. The pasta cooks right in the pot and soaks up the tomato-bean broth as it goes. Stir it every couple of minutes or the ditalini will stick to the bottom, which I learned the hard way the first time I walked away to help with homework.
This makes six servings, and the leftovers the next day are genuinely better. The pasta absorbs more broth overnight, so it thickens up even further. Plan for that when you reheat it.
Why you will love this
- One pot from start to finish, so cleanup is quick on a weeknight
- Ready in 25 minutes with mostly hands-on active cooking, not waiting around
- The mashed-bean trick thickens the broth naturally, no cream or flour needed
- Easily vegetarian: just swap in vegetable broth and skip the parmesan rind
- Leftovers reheat well and taste even better the next day as the flavors settle
Tips for success
- Pull the pasta off heat about 1 minute before the package says al dente. It keeps cooking in the hot broth and will turn mushy if you wait for it to look fully done in the pot.
- Mash the beans against the side of the pot, not in a separate bowl. You only need to break down about a quarter of them to get that thick, stew-like consistency.
- Stir the pot every couple of minutes once the pasta goes in. Ditalini sinks and sticks to the bottom fast, especially as the soup thickens.
- Taste for salt after the pasta has cooked. The parmesan rind and canned tomatoes both carry sodium, so hold back on seasoning until the end rather than salting heavily at the start.
If the soup gets too thick
- Add a splash of broth or water, about a quarter cup at a time, and stir over medium-low heat until it loosens to the consistency you want.
- The soup will thicken significantly as it sits, even just 10 minutes off the heat. This is normal, not a mistake.
- Leftovers will be very thick straight from the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth rather than microwaving it dry.
Substitutions
No cannellini beans on hand: Great Northern beans or navy beans are the closest swap and hold their shape about the same way. For the pasta, any small shape works fine. Ditalini and small elbow macaroni are the most common, but small shells or orzo will do. If you use orzo, check it a minute or two earlier since it cooks faster than ditalini.
To make this fully vegetarian, use vegetable broth and skip the parmesan rind. Stir a tablespoon of grated parmesan into the pot at the end instead, and it still adds that savory, salty note. For a picky eater who picks out tomato chunks, crushed tomatoes blend into the broth as it simmers, so there’s nothing obvious to pick around.
Make-ahead and storage
The bean and tomato base can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cook it through the bean-mashing step, let it cool, and refrigerate it. When you’re ready to eat, bring the base back to a simmer and add the dry pasta then. This keeps the pasta from turning to mush in storage. Leftovers with pasta already in them keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container.
This soup does not freeze well once the pasta is added. The pasta breaks down and turns grainy when thawed. If you want to freeze a batch, freeze just the bean and tomato base before the pasta goes in, for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, reheat it on the stovetop, and cook fresh pasta directly in the pot when you’re ready to serve.
Pasta e Fagioli Stovetop Style
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Do not let it brown.
- Add the minced garlic, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. You will smell the garlic become sweet and toasty.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, drained cannellini beans, and broth. Drop in the parmesan rind if you have one. Stir everything together and raise the heat to bring the pot to a steady simmer. Season with the salt and black pepper.
- Once the soup is simmering, use the back of your spoon to lightly mash about one-quarter of the beans against the side of the pot. This thickens the broth naturally and gives the soup its signature stew-like texture.
- Add the dry pasta directly to the pot. Stir to combine and cook uncovered for 7 to 8 minutes, or about 1 minute less than the package direction for al dente. Stir every couple of minutes so the pasta does not stick to the bottom.
- Remove the parmesan rind if you used one. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. The soup should be thick and almost stew-like. If it feels too thick for your preference, stir in a splash of broth.
- Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a generous spoonful of grated parmesan and a pinch of chopped parsley. A drizzle of good olive oil over the top is a classic finish if you have it.
Notes
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