Pasta e Fagioli

Folks with Italian heritage are probably familiar with Pasta e Fagioli. It’s a staple in many Italian homes. Its name means pasta and beans which are the main ingredients. Most recipes are likely accidentally vegetarian or vegan!

I didn’t grow up with it and feel like I missed out! This recipe comes together quickly, is made entirely of pantry items, is inexpensive and filling. It’s a great candidate for serving to non-vegans as the flavors and ingredients are familiar.

Pasta e Fagioli turned out to be a perfect staple for our RV travels in Alaska. It was essential to gather some recipes that we could make from pantry items since we wouldn’t always be near grocery stores. The frozen greens I added aren’t traditional, but salad fixings don’t last very long here, and we don’t have room in the RV fridge to store that many anyway.

Quick and Easy to Make

The reasons Pasta e Fagioli is perfect for our tiny RV kitchen also make it ideal for new cooks, people on a budget, and folks that are short on time. Leftovers are fantastic, and you could even use this dish for weekly meal prep.

We use a whole grain or bean based pasta and canned goods with no added salt, when possible. Same with the vegetable stock. When every layer of your meal contains salt it can really add up! You’ll end up taking in much less sodium if you salt at the table if needed.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Pasta e Fagioli

A comforting favorite made of pantry and frozen ingredients.

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 359kcal

Ingredients

• 8 ounces pasta
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 28 ounce canned crushed tomatoes
• 14 ounce canned cannelini beans or 1.5 cups, rinsed and drained if using canned
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 8 ounces frozen greens (spinach, kale, etc.)
• nutritional yeast optional

Instructions

• Cook the pasta according to packing directions. Drain and set aside.
• Add about a tablespoon of water or vegetable stock to a large pot. Make sure there’s enough room in the pot to add the pasta to the sauce later. Cook garlic until softened, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, beans, herbs, stock, and greens and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.
• Add pasta to sauce and beans and simmer about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast if desired.

Notes

Variations: Add more stock to make it soupier. Use different beans. Cooked lentils would work nicely. If you'd like it spicy, add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes with the other spices.