When an Italian thinks about Winter, s/he is probably imaging these things: cosy views from the windows,  lana merino scarves, warm espresso and cornetto, and pasta e fagioli.

If you too love a warm meal come Winter, join me as I make a speedier version of this traditional Italian recipe. I will make sure to also share interesting notes and variations on this popular Italian favourite.

What to expect: take a spoonful of pasta; you’ll likely to notice the chunky tubetti pasta first, accompanied by the creamy sauce that was formed during the simmering and in same pot pasta cooking. But don’t fret, there’ll be plenty of borlotti beans in your spoon to munch on.

 

How do you say fagioli in Italian?

Fa-gio-li is the Italian spelling, which divides the word into three syllables.
Here’s how an English reader would pronounce it :faa·jow·lee

What is pasta fagioli soup made of?

Pasta e fagioli includes the basic Italian soffritto made with Italian extra virgin olive oil like Belmorso or Novello, along with bacon, and borlotti beans, vegetable stock, optional passata, and small pasta.

 

Does pasta fagioli contain meat?

Yes, the traditional pasta e fagioli recipe contains bacon. But if you are looking for a vegan or vegetarian version, simply omit the bacon or use a meat free version.

Easy Pasta e Fagioli Recipe

 

 

 

 

Can you make pasta e fagioli without tomatoes?

Yes you can. I grew up eating this pasta without any tomatoes in it. So whether you skip the passata and replace it with slices of fresh tomatoes, or omit the tomatoes all together, you are not going to ruin the final result, I promise.

While the base is the same, aka the soffritto, minestrone includes many more vegetables but not necessarily beans. While you can put beans in minestrone, the beans are not the main ingredient, and they are often replaced with peas.

 

1. Crostini di pane, like bruschetta or a more rustic version with garlic
2. A selection of antipasti – like olives, sundried tomatoes, artichokes (see our range of antipasti)
3. The Pasta e fagioli
4. A homemade cake or freshly bought butter biscuits
5. A digestif like Amaro Averna
And there you have it, a simple pasta e fagioli recipe you can make at home in just over an hour, and enjoy for the following days. Yes, this portion makes 4 large plates, so whether you need that much or not, you can always double the ingredients and make a larger batch.