This Southern Italian Pasta e Fagioli Recipe has been passed down through the generations and has always been a family favorite! This is a Traditional Authentic Southern Italian Pasta e Fagioli Recipe made with white beans, celery, diced tomatoes, garlic, and pasta.
RECIPE IS BELOW IN PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BUT BLOG POST IS FULL OF “HOW TO MAKE IT”, TIPS, INFORMATION AND FAQ
We cook a lot of easy savory and sweet Southern recipes around here. Nana and Papa, cooked southern, my parents cooked convenience meals with southern flair and that is what I grew up on.
However, my best friend grew up with Italian parents (from Amalfi Coast) and her husband grew up in Torregaveta, Italy (Outside of Naples). They make A LOT of Italian recipe that they both grew up eating in Italy and here in America with their Italian families.
That means we get blessed with a lot of tasty authentic Italian food when they’re over here. This recipe is for most amazing Traditional Authentic Southern Italian Pasta e Fagioli Recipe that both sides of the Mantilia/Aversano family makes.
I’m so in love with this Italian soup! It is perfect right after it has been made and it’s even better the next day when it has thickened up some!
QUICK GLANCE AT INGREDIENTS for Pasta e Fagioli :
- 8 cups water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cans white beans, with juices
- 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
- 8 ounces petite diced tomatoes, with juices
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- grated parmesan cheese (optional)
I’ve show the ingredients above that you’ll need but you’ll also need a few items from the kitchen to make this recipe:
How to Make Pasta e Fagioli:
-
Pour water into stock pot.
We use a large Dutch oven at our house to make this. -
Dump everything else EXCEPT salt and pasta.
-
Add salt to taste, maybe start with about 2 tablespoons.
I say salt to taste because I feel like everyone had different taste preferences when it comes to salt. -
Bring to boil. Stir occasionally.
-
Lower heat and let boil, around medium heat for at least 1 hour or until soup condenses and beans starts to look creamy.
-
Add 3-4 cups water.
-
Bring soup back to rolling boil, add pasta.
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Cook and stir for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is done.
Serve hot.
Grated parmesan cheese (optional) for topping -
Soup will soak up and get thicker as is cools.
To Reheat: Add water and heat to make a creamier soup, or heat “as is” and eat.
This recipe is great served with:
- No Knead Crusty Bread
- Crusty Italian Bread
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! You can add a few short ribs or diced pork chops. Just make sure that the meat cooks all the way through in the soup before adding pasta.
Instead of ditalini pasta in Pasta e Fagioli, you can break spaghetti and toss that in.
Yes, you will either need to boil it longer to cook the beans or you can precook the beans and add the beans and liquid to the soup.
Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli is not real Pasta e Fagioli. It’s an Americanized version of Pasta e Fagioli. This recipe is straight from southern Italy (Naples).
Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta e Fagioli
This Southern Italian Pasta e Fagioli Recipe has been passed down through the generations and has always been a family favorite! This is a Traditional Authentic Southern Italian Pasta e Fagioli Recipe made with white beans, celery, diced tomatoes, garlic, and pasta.
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cans white beans, with juices
- 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
- 8 ounces petite diced tomatoes, with juices
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 cup ditalini pasta*
Instructions
- Pour water into stock pot.
- Dump everything else EXCEPT salt and pasta.
- Add salt to taste, maybe start with about 2 tablespoons.
- Bring to boil. Stir occasionally.
- Lower heat and let boil, around medium heat for at least 1 hour or until soup condenses and beans starts to look creamy.
- Add 3-4 cups water.
- Bring soup back to rolling boil, add pasta.
- Cook and stir for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is done.
Notes
*can use 8 ounces broken spaghetti in place of ditalini pasta
Soup will soak up and get thicker as is cools.
To Reheat: Add water and heat to make a creamier soup, or heat "as is" and eat.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 285Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 172mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 9gSugar: 9gProtein: 14g
More Italian recipes:
- Easy Italian Meatballs in Sauce Recipe
- Penne alla Vodka
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- The Best Chicken Marsala
- Easy Weeknight Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Homemade Meatball Subs
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Deborah says
This is the best soup I have ever eaten. Thanks so much for posting it I made no changes.
Angie says
Hi Deborah! I’m so glad that you liked it!