This Pasta Fagioli Soup is hearty, filling, and full of delicious Italian flavors! With creamy beans, tender pasta, hearty turkey sausage, fresh veggies, and herbs, in a rich tomato-based sauce - it's the tastiest Pasta e Fagioli Recipe ever! {Plus, there's a low-carb and vegetarian option as well.}
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Why You'll Love This Traditional Italian Pasta Fagioli Recipe
You may have tried this before since it’s one of the very popular Olive Garden soups. And although this soup recipe is similar to Olive Garden's, my take on pasta e fagioli is a little bit different.
It’s a known thing that recipes for pasta e fagioli soup vary, the only true requirement is that beans and pasta are included.
This traditional Italian soup is often called pasta fasul (or fazool) in the US. I’m sure some of the credit goes to the song “That’s Amore” written by Warren and Brooks and made popular by heartthrob actor & singer Mr. Dean Martin.
More Italian Soup Recipes
But there are other fantastic Italian Soup Recipes I feel I should mention... like my Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup, Easy Zuppa Toscana Soup (Low Carb + Gluten Free), and my personal favorite Spicy Italian White Bean and Sausage Soup!
Ingredients for this Italian Soup
- Olive oil
- Mild or spicy ground turkey or chicken sausage (casings removed)
- Yellow onion, large, finely diced
- Carrots, medium, finely diced
- Celery ribs, finely diced
- Garlic, minced
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Canned cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
- Canned red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- Canned diced tomatoes, with their juices
- Tomato sauce
- Salt & pepper
- Bay leaves
- Fresh rosemary, minced
- Fresh thyme, minced
- Dried pasta, such as ditalini or elbow macaroni
- Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
- Crushed red pepper (optional)
How to Make Traditional Pasta Fagioli
Step 1: Cook meat. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the turkey sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
Step 2: Add veggies. Add the onion, carrot, celery, rosemary, thyme, and parsley and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Step 3: Cook garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Step 4: Make broth. Add the broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Cook pasta. Next, stir in the pasta. Simmer for 9-10 minutes until the pasta is al dente. (Tender but still firm to the bite. This cooking time will vary depending on the pasta you use.) The soup will thicken a bit while the pasta is cooking.
Step 6: Cheese! Once the pasta is al dente, remove and discard the bay leaves. Take the soup off the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. If the soup seems too thick, stir in some water or chicken stock until it reaches the desired consistency.
NOTE: The longer it sits in the pot, the thicker it will get).
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and parsley (if desired) and devour!
Variations and Tips
Here's everything you need to know about this Italian pasta soup recipe to make sure it turns out perfectly every time. Whether you want to sub out different beans or meats, make it fit a specific diet your following, or you're just looking for some extra pointers, I've got you covered!
What Beans can I use in Pasta e Fagioli?
Traditional Italian soup recipes call for cannellini beans (either pre-boiled dry beans or canned beans). The very popular version served at Olive Garden is reportedly made with white and red kidney beans but that is definitely a more Americanized version. All to say, it’s a matter of personal preference, plus a matter of what you can find in your grocery store or your pantry!😊
Other beans you could substitute in this Pasta e Fagioli soup include:
- Great Northern Beans
- White Kidney Beans
- Borlotti beans
- Chickpeas
- Navy Beans
- Baby Lima Beans (aka “Butterbeans”)
What meats can I use in Pasta e Fagioli Soup?
The “traditional” version calls for pancetta, but I’ve swapped out for ground turkey to keep the soup a little more heart-healthy. Depending on your preference and availability, any of the following meats will work:
- Ground Beef (I would use 95% Lean or higher)
- Ground Chicken
- Spicy Ground Turkey (using spicy instead of mild will definitely step up the heat factor in the finished product)
- Smoked Ham Hock (If you want to go this route, you’ll need a lower-slower cooking method like this recipe).
How to make low-carb pasta fagioli soup?
Fear not my Low Carb friends, I’ve got you covered. (Yes, technically when we remove the pasta and the beans it is no longer a "pasta e fagioli" soup, but these are the trade-offs we make with a low-carb lifestyle!)
Use these modifications to make low-carb "Pasta Fazool":
- Follow the full recipe directions below, using the original cook times for each step (the meat, veggies, stock, etc.). However, make the following modifications:
- Omit the beans and the pasta
- Add a second pound of ground turkey.
- Reduce the total liquid (chicken stock) by 1 cup.
- Slice two medium-sized zucchini into ½-inch slices, then quarter each slice. Add them at the very end, instead of pasta in step #5 of the recipe below). Cook for 7 minutes for "al-dente" zukes, or longer if you'd like them softer. Then remove from heat.
- If you make these modifications, the total carbs per serving will drop from 40g to 10g, and net carbs will drop from 32g to 8g.
How to make gluten-free Pasta e Fagioli?
Make the soup gluten-free by using your favorite brand of gluten-free pasta. All the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
Can you make vegetarian pasta e fagioli?
Of course! You’ll need to make the following modifications:
- For starters, omit the meat.
- Consider adding another 14.5-ounce can of beans, drained (either kidney or cannellini).
- Also, instead of chicken stock, use vegetable stock.
- To make it completely Vegan, you would also need to skip the cheese.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Pasta Fagioli
- Store pasta e fagioli soup for up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- You can freeze the soup. But it's best to freeze the soup before adding the pasta because pasta can become too soft and disintegrate when it's frozen and then thawed.
- Freeze the pasta fagioli for up to 3 months in an airtight container (allow ¾-inch for the liquid to expand at the top of the container). Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender. Add more broth to thin out the soup, if necessary.
I hope you enjoy this tasty, versatile Italian soup! It’s hearty and full of the most delicious and rich savory, comforting flavors…
Buon Appetito!
FAQ's
This literally translates to pasta and bean soup, because those are two of the main ingredients that make this traditional Italian dish so hearty and delicious!
The main difference is in the variety of vegetables. Minestrone typically has a larger selection of healthy veggies, though my take on this traditional Italian pasta fagioli recipe has plenty of produce as well!
Here are Some Other Delicious Soup Recipes to Try:
- Cabbage Roll Soup (Low Carb & Gluten Free)
- Low Carb Chicken Mushroom Soup
- Slow Cooker Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
- Beef Pot Pie Soup
- Creamy Tortellini Soup with Chicken
- Thai Red Curry Chicken Soup
- Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup
Italian Pasta Fagioli Soup
Pasta Fagioli Soup is hearty and filling and full of delicious Italian flavors!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound mild or spicy ground turkey or chicken sausage (casings removed)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 medium carrots, finely diced
- 2 medium celery ribs, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 14.5 ounces canned cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
- 14.5 ounces canned red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 16 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 4 ounces (1 cup) dried pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini
- 3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
- Crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
- Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme, rosemary, and parsley then cook, stirring frequently for about 6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Add the broth, beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Next, stir in the pasta. Simmer for 9-10 minutes until pasta is al dente. (Tender but still firm to the bite... this cook time will vary depending on the pasta you use.)
- The soup will thicken a bit by the time the pasta is cooked. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Remove the soup from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. If the soup seems too thick, gradually add water or more chicken stock and thin to desired consistency (note: the longer it sits on the stove, the thicker it will get). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with more cheese, if desired, and finish with crushed red pepper if you'd like to add more kick!
Notes
This soup is best served immediately; as it sits, the pasta and beans soak up the broth. If the soup gets too thick, you can thin it with a bit of broth or water.
We tested this recipe with both the mild turkey and also the spicy turkey... our preference was the spicy turkey! But we do tend to like our food with more spicy flavors. 🙂
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
8 ouncesAmount Per Serving Calories 371Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 48mgSodium 592mgCarbohydrates 40gNet Carbohydrates 32gFiber 8gSugar 7gSugar Alcohols 0gProtein 21g
Looking for some other comforting soups? Try my Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, or this Spicy Italian White Bean & Sausage Soup!
Kayleigh S
Made this tonight but substituted for chickpea pasta! It was a hit with my family. Thank you for the recipe.
holly
Hey Kayleigh, Thanks so much! I'm thrilled you and the family enjoyed it.
Barb Raudabaugh
This is ahhhhmazing. The recipe is so easy to follow and make! We devoured it. Gave 2 quarts to my son's family..again, devoured. Will always have the ingredients for this in my pantry. So fabulous! Thank you
holly
Hello Barb! YAYYYYYY! I'm glad this recipe was a hit, thank you for loving this recipe as much as I do!
Sue fowler
Amazing soup recipe. It’s addicting. Will definitely add it to my go to soup recipe. 👌👏
holly
Hi Sure, thanks so much! I like the "it's addicting" part. I'm thrilled you enjoyed it.
Sasha
This was so good! Followed the recipe exactly, used ground turkey, just added more garlic because we love garlic. Came out amazing, thank you for sharing 🙂
holly
Thank you, Sasha! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Van
How can you post a recipe without the ingredients and the amounts foreach item?
holly
Hello Van, the ingredient card is at the bottom of the page along with the instructions!
Jamie
does this freeze well ?
holly
Hi Jamie, I haven't tried freezing it yet because my family devours it. The only concern would be the pasta but I think you should give it a try.
Linda
This is seriously delicious. As a vegetarian, I used beyond meat sausage. So good!
Bryan
Hi Linda so glad you liked this recipe! The Beyond Meat products are great, good idea to substitute that. Thanks for your comment... 🙂 - H&B
Mary
Name and brand of instant pot pleasr
Bryan
Hi Mary for the Instant Pot recipes on this site we use a DuoPlus 6 Quart Instant Pot. You can read more here: https://tasteandsee.com/instant-pot-recipes/.