Equipment
Ingredients
Soffritto (Aromatics)
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 100 g carrot, finely diced
- 100 g celery, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1 fresh rosemary, whole sprig
Soup Base
- 30 g tomato paste
- 1000 ml vegetable broth, low sodium preferred
- 400 g cannellini beans, canned, rinsed and drained
- 1 parmesan cheese rind, whole
Pasta and Finishing
- 150 g ditalini pasta
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
- 40 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 62 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1757 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 7 mg
- Potassium
- 914 mg
- Calcium
- 260 mg
- Iron
- 5.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 94 mg
- Phosphorus
- 284 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 289 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 60 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.54 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.30 mg
- Niacin
- 3.5 mg
- Folate
- 180 mcg
- Water
- 412 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the soffritto by finely dicing the onion, carrot, and celery. Mince the garlic.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, whole rosemary sprig, and tomato paste to the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste deepens in color and the aromatics are highly fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the vegetable broth and add the rinsed cannellini beans and parmesan rind. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer around 90°C/195°F. Partially cover and let simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Increase the heat slightly to bring the soup to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Stir in the ditalini pasta. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully fish out and discard the rosemary sprig and the parmesan rind. Taste the broth and season generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls. Garnish each serving with a shower of freshly grated parmesan cheese, a pinch of chopped parsley, and a light drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- For a richer, creamier broth texture, take half a cup of the cannellini beans and blend them with a ladle of broth before adding them back to the soup.
- Authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano is made with animal rennet. To ensure this dish is strictly vegetarian, seek out a parmesan-style hard cheese specifically labeled as vegetarian, which uses microbial rennet.
- The parmesan rind is a classic Italian zero-waste trick. It imparts a deeply savory, umami-rich undertone to the broth that salt alone cannot achieve. Keep rinds in a freezer bag specifically for soups.
- If your soup feels like it lacks depth at the end of cooking, a tiny splash of white wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice can brighten the flavors instantly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Pasta will continue to absorb broth; add a splash of water when reheating.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without the pasta for best texture. Add fresh cooked pasta when reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stove over medium heat until simmering, adding extra vegetable broth or water to loosen the consistency.
Troubleshooting
The soup is too thick and resembles a stew.
Cause: The pasta absorbed more broth than anticipated while cooking or resting.
Fix: Stir in an extra 100ml to 200ml of hot vegetable broth or water until the desired soup consistency is reached.
Prevention: If making ahead, cook the pasta in a separate pot of salted water and add it directly to individual bowls when serving.
The pasta is mushy and falling apart.
Cause: The soup was left boiling too long after adding the pasta, or reheated too aggressively.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once the pasta is overcooked.
Prevention: Test the pasta a minute before the package instructions suggest and remove from heat immediately when al dente.
Cultural Context
Pasta e fagioli translates simply to pasta and beans. This iconic dish originated in Italy as a frugal peasant meal, utilizing inexpensive, readily available pantry staples to create a profoundly nourishing dish. Countless regional variations exist throughout Italy, with each household adapting the recipe to feature local bean varieties and distinct short pasta shapes.
