Print

Print Recipe

A comforting, hearty, and vegetarian Italian soup featuring cannellini beans, ditalini pasta, and a savory tomato broth. Quick and easy to make on stovetop, Instant Pot, or crockpot, offering a budget-friendly and nutritious meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup quartered carrots
  • 2 15 oz cans cooked cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup dry ditalini pasta

Instructions

  1. Chop onions, garlic, and carrots (can prep up to 24 hours ahead).
  2. Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  3. Sauté diced onions, minced garlic, and quartered carrots for about 5 minutes until translucent and softened.
  4. Add rinsed and drained cannellini beans, tomato sauce, bay leaf, dried basil, parsley, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, vegetable broth, and water; stir to combine.
  5. Cover the pot, increase heat to high, and bring the soup to a boil, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes).
  6. Remove the lid and reduce heat to medium.
  7. Add dry ditalini (or other small pasta) and stir; cook the pasta about half the package time so it’s slightly underdone.
  8. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving.
  9. (Instant Pot) Set Instant Pot to Sauté and heat olive oil until shimmering (about 3 minutes).
  10. Sauté onions, garlic, and carrots in the Instant Pot for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
  11. Rinse and drain the beans while the veggies cook.
  12. Scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot to remove any browned bits.
  13. Add pasta, beans, dried herbs and spices, water, and broth to the Instant Pot; pour tomato sauce on top without stirring.
  14. Seal the Instant Pot lid and cook on High Pressure for 2 minutes, then quick-release the pressure.
  15. Discard the bay leaf, stir, and serve (or cook pasta separately and add later to avoid mushiness).
  16. (Crockpot) Heat olive oil in a large pot until shimmering, sauté onions, garlic, and carrots for 5 minutes until softened, then transfer the veggie mix to the crockpot.
  17. Rinse and drain the beans while veggies cook for the crockpot.
  18. Add tomato sauce, spices, broth, water, and beans into the crockpot and stir (do not add pasta).
  19. Cook on low for 4–6 hours.
  20. In the last hour, stir in raw pasta, cover, and cook for the remaining hour (or cook pasta separately and add at the end).
  21. Undercook the pasta slightly so it finishes cooking after you turn off the heat; add more broth if the soup becomes too thick.
  22. Discard the bay leaf before serving.

Notes

Chop veggies up to 24 hours ahead to save prep time., Use canned low-sodium beans, rinsed and drained, for convenience and to control salt., Parmesan rind can be added while simmering for extra depth of flavor; remove before serving., Undercook the pasta slightly; it will finish cooking while the soup rests to avoid mushiness., For a thicker stew-like texture, use less broth or add more pasta; for soupier consistency, add more broth., Add fresh chopped spinach just before serving for added nutrition and color., Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil but avocado oil or melted butter are acceptable substitutes., Onion and garlic powder can replace fresh if needed (1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder)., Beans can be swapped with navy or great northern beans, cooked or canned., Small pasta shapes like elbows, baby shells can substitute ditalini., Use canned tomato sauce, not pasta sauce, for best results., Vegetable, chicken, or beef broth can be used; choose low/no sodium to control salt., Add sautéed bacon, pancetta, or cooked ground turkey/beef if a non-vegetarian option is desired., Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated and freeze well though pasta texture softens after freezing., Reheat in crockpot, microwave, or stove; add broth as needed due to pasta absorption.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookerygood.com/best-pasta-fagioli-recipe-2/