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Pasta E Fagioli Recipe with crock pot variation
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Pasta e Fagioli (aka "Pasta Fazool")

Pasta E Fagioli This recipe is delicious. I have reproduced it exactly as I received it, but I will make some recommendations at the end. Make this a day ahead. I was somewhat disappointed with it when we ate it the night I fixed it, but by lunch the next day it was SO good! Also, it's got that magic combination of olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes as well as being a good source of fiber. Serves 8 Cooking Light Magazine 3/98
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8
Author Meghan Gray

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. dried navy beans See instructions
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1/2 cup sliced carrot
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 2 garlic cloves pressed
  • 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 9 cups water or chicken stock
  • 1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary or substitute a full Tablespoon of fresh- MUCH nicer.
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 4 oz uncooked small pasta elbow mac, mini penne, or small shells are perfect
  • 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 3 oz fresh Parmesan cheese grated (use the real stuff. You won't regret it!)

Instructions

  1. Soak beans overnight and then cook them in a pot of water until they are almost soft. (About 1 hour.) Or substitute four 15 oz cans of beans.
  2. Heat oil in pan over medium heat until hot. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender.
  3. Add garlic and cook another minute.
  4. Add tomatoes. Once they start to bubble, cover the pot and reduce heat to low.
  5. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Add beans, water or stock, Ancho powder, and bay leaf. Simmer for 50 minutes.
  7. Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, and 2 garlic cloves; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until beans are tender. Discard bay leaf.
  8. Puree about 2 cups of the soup and return it to the pot.
  9. Add pasta. Cook about 7 minutes more or until pasta is done.
  10. Stir in parsley and black pepper just before you take the pot off the stove, and garnish with the Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Notes

If you prefer to cook your soup in the slow cooker, cook it for approximately 4 hours on low. I like to use mixed beans for this recipe, although it's traditional to use only white beans. I occasionally throw in some browned Italian sausage, for variety, but I believe this is also not traditional.