This Italian pasta e Fagioli soup is a vegetable, pasta, and bean soup; it is one of the most comforting and delicious soups there can be. It is a perfect vegetable soup for a rainy afternoon or days when your body asks you to eat delicious and healthy.
ABOUT THIS RECIPE
One of my favorite cuisines in the whole world is Italian. I love pizza, calzone, spaghetti, meatballs, and pasta with pesto; I mean, the list goes on and on. This pasta e Fagioli soup is not an exception; it is delicious.
The original recipe calls for Parmesan cheese, parmesan rinds, and a piece of smoked ham hock; my recipe is vegan; you can make vegetarian pasta e Fagioli if you add Parmesan cheese.
An important note is that because it is vegan, this soup will not lack flavor, the flavor comes from a delicious sofrito, and at the end, it is served with vegan Parmesan cheese, bread, and olive oil.
Ingredients for vegan pasta e fagioli
- Leeks, finely chop the white and light green parts. Save the dark green part to make vegetable stock. Substitute with onion if needed.
- Celery, finely chopped
- Carrots, finely chopped
- Garlic, sliced.
- Olive oil, look for good olive oil, first cold extraction and in a glass bottle will always be best.
- Canned tomato. You could also use homemade puree.
- Navy beans, any white beans cooked at home or from a can, work in this recipe. Substitute with cannellini beans.
- Liquid, 4 cups of water, or vegetable broth.
- Pasta, I like to use small pasta; it tastes and looks better. Use ditalini pasta, orzo or stars.
- Greens, kale, or spinach will do.
- Salt freshly ground black pepper and bay leaf.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN ITALIAN SOUP?
Add olive oil, vegetables, and salt to a pot over medium-high heat. Do not let the vegetables brown; the idea is that they release their flavor. Leave them for 5-7 minutes or until the leek and celery are half transparent. Add the garlic and leave for two more minutes.
Add the water or vegetable broth, bay leaf, and white beans, and simmer covered for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
While the vegetables cook, in a separate pot, cook the pasta as indicated on the package and constantly stir so it does not stick. I like to leave it al dente so that it finishes cooking in the vegan Italian soup.
In the end, add the greens and the cooked pasta, and cover for about 3 minutes. Serve in soup bowls, top with pieces of bread and vegan parmesan cheese, and drizzle with olive oil.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Sofrito. The important thing and the flavor base of this recipe is the sofrito: leeks, celery, and carrot. You can chop everything up it in the food processor ( affiliate link ) or chop it as finely as you can with your knife.
Vegan Parmesan Cheese. I like the Violife brand, 365 from Wholefoods or Trader Joe’s, but any other brand will be delicious here. You can also finish it with homemade Parmesan cheese.
Pasta and Fagioli. Pasta e Fagioli in Italian means pasta and beans. And this soup has beans, pasta, and loads of flavor.
Can I change the beans? Of course, you can change them for the ones you have at home or add more. This soup is perfect with kidney beans or garbanzo beans, or any other kind of mild-flavored beans.
HOW TO STORE ITALIAN BEAN AND PASTA SOUP
Store it in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container. It can last up to four days if it is well closed. It can also be frozen in special freezer bags; it lasts up to three months.
To reheat the soup, heat it in a saucepan over medium heat and check the seasoning before serving. You can add a pinch of salt, a little pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Other recipes that you may like:
Vegan pasta e faioli
Equipment
- Soup pot
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 leek, white and light green part
- 3 celery stalks
- 3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 15 oz can chopped tomato
- 1½ cups of cooked navy beans or 1 can
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 bay leave
- 2 cups kale or spinach leaves
- ⅔ cup pasta
- freshly ground black pepper
For serving
- 1 baguette or whole wheat rustic bread torn into small pieces
- olive oil
- vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add olive oil, vegetables, and salt to a pot over medium-high heat. Do not let the vegetables brown; the idea is that they release their flavor. Leave them for 5-7 minutes or until the leek and celery are half transparent. Add the garlic and leave for two more minutes.
- While the vegetables cook, in a separate pot, cook the pasta as indicated on the package, I like to leave it al dente so that it finishes cooking in the vegan Italian soup.
- Add the water or vegetable broth, bay leaf, and white beans, and leave covered for about 10 minutes. In the end, add the greens and the cooked pasta, and cover for about 3 minutes.
- Serve in soup bowls, top with pieces of bread and vegan parmesan cheese, and drizzle with olive oil.