Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (2024)

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You can't beat the simplicity of pasta e fa*gioli, aka Italian pasta and bean soup. It's comforting, healthy and will have your family begging for more. 242 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (1)

So often the best recipes are not the ones from some fancy shmancy restaurant cookbook, but rather the ones learned at grandmother's side. They are the recipes that are frequently passed down verbally from generation to generation, but rarely written down with pen and paper.

Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (2)

My friend, Liz of The Lemon Bowl (you know her well from our Healthy New Year Challenge) has taken on an amazing project - capturing the recipes of her family and her husband's family in a series of eCookbooks, starting with Food From Our Ancestors: The Ultimate Italian Sunday Dinner. The eCookbook is only $3.99 (less than a latte!) and features recipes such as Spinach & Potato Frittata, Sunday Gravy and Uncle Vinny's Shrimp Scampi (I can tell that I already like Uncle Vinny).

Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (3)

The wonderful thing about good Italian food is that the ingredients lists are often very basic. It's the quality of the ingredients and the seasoning that makes the difference. Good olive oil, high quality canned tomatoes, fresh basil and so on.

Pasta e fa*gioli, otherwise known as pasta and beans is a classic vegetarian soup that is hearty and healthy, and practically begs for a piece of crusty bread to dunk into the broth. You may have seen me making Liz's recipe on Snapchat and my Instagram stories (I'm @cookincanuck in both places). What you didn't hear was my family's enthusiastic reviews of the soup, including T (my younger son) saying, "I could eat this every night." That says it all.

Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (4)

Other healthy vegetarian soup recipes:

Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (5)
Cookin' Canuck's Slow Cooker Vegetable Barley Soup
Cookin' Canuck's
A Cedar Spoon's Thai Coconut Zoodle Soup
The Healthy Maven's Quinoa Tortilla Soup
Eating Bird Food's Roasted Garlic Lentil Soup

Printable Recipe

Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (6)

Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup)

You can't beat the simplicity of pasta e fa*gioli, aka Italian pasta and bean soup. It's comforting, healthy and will have your family begging for more. 242 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

4.75 from 16 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entrees, Soups

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Clean Eating, Vegetarian

Servings: 15 Cups

Calories: 242.6kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot and saute onion, garlic and spices until just tender about 4-5 minutes.

  • Add tomato paste and stir well. Reduce heat to low and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  • Add the water, chicken stock and beans to the pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

  • Stir in cooked pasta and parsley just before serving. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread for dunking, if desired.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points:5 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 6 (Points+)

* The salt and pepper to taste are not included in the nutritional information.

Reprinted with permission from Food From Our Ancestors: The Ultimate Italian Sunday Dinner

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5Cups | Calories: 242.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 38.6g | Protein: 10.6g | Fat: 6.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.8g | Sodium: 557.3mg | Fiber: 7.1g | Sugar: 3.3g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: This post contains links to my Amazon affiliate page. Any revenue made from sales through these links helps to support this blog. Thank you!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Bonnie

    Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (13)
    Reading other reviews about thickening I decided to add dry pasta without cooking first. also added leftover shredded chicken for more protein. Lovely soup. i might add celery to the garlic and onion saute the next time.

    Reply

  2. Amy S

    Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (14)
    YUM. Absolutely delicious soup & perfect for the cold snap we're having in Michigan right now. I made a few changes--I threw in some leftover carrots with the onions, added some red pepper flakes, and thickened the soup a bit with a cornstarch/water slurry--but the base recipe is SO good.

    Reply

  3. Heather A

    Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (15)
    Love this recipe. We also make mini meatballs and add them to the soup and they make the sauce even tastier. We use shell pasta as that is what my Grandma used for years. I always try to duplicate what she made and this is by far the closest and best receipe. Great taste, super easy and we love it.

    Reply

  4. Gwen

    Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (16)
    Made it this evening...wonderful. I thickened it a bit by using an immersion blender to purée about half the beans. Going to need company over the weekend to help eat the huge pan full. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

    • Dara

      It's one of our favorites here, too!

      Reply

  5. Abeer

    That's the most ultimate comfort food ever... makes me wish I wasn't traveling so I can be in my kitchen and making this 😉

    Reply

  6. Justine | Cooking and Beer

    Pasta e fa*gioli is one of my all time favorite comfort foods. Your version looks spectacular! Yum!

    Reply

  7. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet

    That looks wonderful and is getting me excited for the cooler weather!

    Reply

  8. Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie

    What a pretty dish. Perfect comfort food for sure. I am looking forward to dishes like this.

    Reply

  9. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl

    Ahhh thank you so much my friend! I am so thrilled your boys loved it and you have me itching to make this again soon for my boys!! xoxo

    Reply

  10. Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie

    Pasta e fa*gioli is one of my favorite soups! I'm always on the search for the perfect recipe! This one looks tasty!

    Reply

  11. Amy | The Cook Report

    I've already started thinking about all the things I'll be making once the temperature drops and this looks perfect for an autumn evening!
    I'll definitely be adding it to my list of things to be made soon 🙂

    Reply

Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe (Italian Pasta & Bean Soup) - Cookin Canuck (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between pasta fa*gioli and pasta fazool? ›

To sum it up, pasta e fa*gioli feels more like a vegetable and bean soup, whereas the Italian American pasta fazool created by southern Italian immigrants features a "broth" that's more like a marinara sauce (made with crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onion, and seasonings), along with ample helpings of white beans ...

What is pasta e fa*gioli soup made of? ›

Pasta e fa*gioli, sometimes shortened to pasta fa*gioli (or pasta fazool if you're a Sopranos fan), is a classic Italian soup. Its name literally translates to “pasta and beans,” and it consists of tiny pasta, creamy beans, and tender vegetables in a fragrant tomato broth.

How long does pasta fa*gioli last in fridge? ›

Leftover pasta fa*gioli will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months when stored in an airtight container. To reheat, just put the soup in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power or in a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop.

Is pasta fa*gioli high in iron? ›

400 g of Pasta e fa*gioli by SIERRA FOODS contains 6.0 mg vitamin C as well as 1.80 mg of iron, 60.00 mg of calcium. Pasta e fa*gioli by SIERRA FOODS belong to 'Other Soups' food category.

What does fazool mean in Italian? ›

Actually spelled "fa*gioli " 1. Italian for bean . 2. Term used for money or a bill .

Does pasta fa*gioli contain meat? ›

Does pasta fa*gioli contain meat? Yes. this pasta fa*gioli Olive Garden recipe contains ground beef. It adds plenty of protein and flavor, plus it helps make the soup extra hearty.

What was Dean Martin's favorite Italian dish? ›

“When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fa*gioli, that's amore,” Martin croons. The pasta and bean dish is more than just an apt rhyme for “drool,” Martin is actually singing about one specific version of pasta fa*gioli that he loves: his mother's.

Are minestrone and pasta fa*gioli the same? ›

The answer is that traditionally, yes, there's a difference, even if you can't spot it right away. While Pasta e fa*gioli tends to be a thick and hearty bowl of beans and pasta, the thing it lacks is chunks of veggies. That's where Minestrone comes in…to fill the veggie void left by its country cousin.

Is pasta fa*gioli high in carbs? ›

Olive Garden Pasta E fa*gioli (1 serving) contains 21g total carbs, 17g net carbs, 6g fat, 9g protein, and 180 calories.

Does pasta fa*gioli freeze well? ›

Yes! This Pasta fa*gioli Soup recipe makes a ton of soup, so it's nice to freeze some for later. You may want to add a bit of water when reheating your frozen soup until you reach your desired soup consistency. I love using my Souper Cubes (affiliate link) to freeze soup, but you can use whatever method you choose!

Does pasta fa*gioli go bad? ›

Our answer. Nigella's Pasta E fa*gioli (from NIGELLA BITES) is a hearty soup made with borlotti beans and small pasta shapes. It is perfect bowlfood for chillier, more Autumnal weather. The soup, once cooled, can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.

Can you eat pasta left out of fridge overnight? ›

If boiled rice or pasta are left out at 12-14o C for a long time (more than 4-6 hours), it can become extremely dangerous to eat. At this temperature the spore producing bacteria can form heat resistant toxins. Rice and pasta leftovers must therefore always be cooled rapidly and kept in the fridge at below 6-8o C.

Is pasta bad for iron deficiency? ›

GOOD SOURCES OF IRON:

Your body absorbs more iron from meat than it does from other sources. If you do not eat meat, you may need to increase your intake of iron-rich, plant-based foods such as cereals, breads, and pastas with added iron and dry beans.

Do olives increase iron levels? ›

olives. Olives, especially black olives, are also a great source of iron. 10-12 olives are a good amount to consume daily to maintain healthy levels or iron in your body.

What are the ingredients in Progresso pasta fa*gioli? ›

Water, Tomato Puree (water, tomato paste), Great Northern Beans, Kidney Beans, Mezzanini Rigati Pasta (semolina wheat, egg whites).

Why do people say pasta fazool? ›

This is a soup with white beans and pasta, but the lead role is played by the beans, rather than the pasta. Here in the US, this soup is often referred to as pasta fazool, where fazool is derived from the Sicilian or Neapolitan dialect for beans.

What does pasta fazool mean in Italian? ›

In Italy today you would order "pasta e fa*gioli" which means “pasta and beans.”

Why is it called pasta fa*gioli? ›

The name means "pasta and beans" in Italian. The dish typically includes ingredients such as cannellini beans, small pasta shapes like ditalini or elbow macaroni, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs like rosemary and parsley.

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