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By americastestkitchen.com
Pasta e Fagioli
This hearty pasta and bean soup is Italian American comfort food at its best. From type of bean to shape of pasta—and even whether or not it contains meat—the iterations of this Italian American pasta-and-bean soup are endless. One version from a restaurant in northern New Jersey, which was deeply but gently savory, thick and hearty, and studded with creamy beans and soft little pieces of pasta, was the inspiration for our version. Starting with a base of pancetta, finely chopped vegetables, plenty of garlic, and a small but powerful punch from tomato paste, we built a rich and flavorful broth as a backdrop for our soup. To thicken it, we pureed half the cannellini beans that we were adding to the soup. For ease, rather than boiling the pasta in a separate pot, we added little ditalini right into the simmering soup to cook in the last moments before serving. Some grated Parmesan cheese for extra richness and seasoning and a big handful of fresh basil for a blast of fragrant freshness was all that was needed to finish the dish.
Updated at: Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:53:41 GMT
Nutrition balance score
Great
Glycemic Index
48
Low
Glycemic Load
17
Moderate
Nutrition per serving
Calories314.4 kcal (16%)
Total Fat11.3 g (16%)
Carbs35.1 g (13%)
Sugars4.9 g (5%)
Protein15.5 g (31%)
Sodium1115.6 mg (56%)
Fiber8.9 g (32%)
% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Ingredients
6 servings

2 x 15 ouncecans cannellini beans
rinsed, divided

1 cupwater

2 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
plus extra for drizzling

2onions
chopped fine

2carrots
peeled and chopped fine

1celery rib
chopped fine

2 ouncespancetta
chopped fine

¾ teaspoonsalt

½ teaspoonpepper

2 tablespoonstomato paste

4garlic cloves
minced

¼ teaspoonred pepper flakes
optional

4 cupschicken broth

1 cupditalini

1 cupParmesan cheese grated
plus extra for serving

½ cupfresh basil
finely chopped
Instructions
View on americastestkitchen.com
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Notes
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Delicious
Go-to
Fresh
One-dish
Easy