Pasta Fagioli

February 29, 2012

Pasta Fagioli | BarbaraBakes.com

A hearty Italian soup loaded with sausage, beans, pasta, and veggies. It’s a one pot meal that’s quick and easy to make. 

I’m a little addicted to the Pasta Fagioli soup at Toscano Italian Bistro. I went on a quest to find a great recipe so I could make it at home. I found a wonderful recipe that is similar at Fake Ginger.

The Pasta Fagioli at the restaurant doesn’t include sausage, but it sounded like a great addition. I used a ground chicken sausage from Harmons. I also decided to up the veggies and added a zucchini and some spinach at the end of the cooking time.

This soup was a hit with my family, and it’s going to make a regular appearance at our dinner table.

Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine & Dish sponsored by KitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset.

Pasta Fagioli

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled & chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 1 lb. ground sausage (or ground beef)
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 2 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 14 oz. can chicken broth
  • 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup ditalini (or other small pasta)
  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped
  • Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Sauté onion about 2 minutes until it begins to soften. Add celery and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the sausage to the pot and cook until the sausage is no longer pink, crumbling it as it cooks. Stir in Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, tomatoes and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Stir in the beans and pasta. (Add an extra cup of stock or water if it’s boiled down too much.) Simmer for 6- 8 minutes or until pasta is almost tender. Add zucchini and spinach and cook until zucchini is tender and spinach is wilted.

Serve piping hot with Parmesan cheese.

adapted from Fake Ginger