Pasta e Fagioli (Bean and Pasta Soup with Rosemary)
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and America's Test Kitchen.
A hearty Italian bean and pasta soup built on a sweet vegetable base and simmered with rosemary until thick and warming.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Build the Soffritto. Warm the olive oil in the pan over medium heat and cook the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of the salt for 8-10 minutes until soft and sweet but not browned. This slow start, known as a soffritto, builds a sweet vegetable base that underpins the whole soup.
- 2
Add Garlic, Rosemary and Tomato Purée. Stir in the garlic, rosemary and tomato purée, cooking for 1-2 minutes until the purée darkens slightly. Frying the purée briefly cooks off its raw, tinny edge and deepens its flavour before the liquid goes in.
- 3
Simmer with Beans. Add the beans, water, remaining salt and pepper, then bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes; lift out the rosemary sprig once it's done its job. This gentle simmer softens the beans further and lets their flavour spread through the broth.
- 4
Blend Part of the Soup. Blend or mash about a third of the soup in the pan, leaving the rest whole, so you get a creamy body without needing any cream. Breaking down some of the beans naturally thickens the broth while the whole beans and vegetables keep some texture.
- 5
Cook the Pasta In the Soup. Bring the soup back to a lively simmer, add the pasta and cook, stirring often so it doesn't stick to the base, for the packet time plus 1-2 minutes until tender, adding a splash of water if it gets too thick. Cooking the pasta directly in the soup lets it release starch into the broth, thickening it further as it sits.
- 6
Taste and Serve. Taste for salt before serving, then ladle into bowls and top with the grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. A finishing drizzle of good oil adds a fresh, fruity note that cooking alone can't give the soup.
Storage
Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months; the pasta softens further on freezing, so it's best added fresh if making ahead for the freezer. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water, stirring, until piping hot throughout. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large heavy saucepan or casserole (at least 4 litres)
- stick blender or potato masher
- ladle
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 457 kcal |
| Protein | 17.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 61.2 g |
| of which sugars | 4.6 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 16.5 g |
| of which saturates | 3.3 g |
| Fibre | 8.7 g |
| Salt | 2.52 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.8 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
