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Pasta e Fagioli

A pasta and bean soup which is a traditional Italian comfort food.

Dinner
Easy
Time 45 Minutes
Skill Level Easy

Ingredients List

Serves 4
  • 150 g pasta tubetti (or other small soup pasta)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium celery
  • 1 medium carrot (finely chopped)
  • 1 medium onion (finely chopped. I prefer Spanish red onion)
  • 2 cloves garlic (crushed and finely chopped)
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary (finely chop leaves, discard stem)
  • 400 g cans cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 400 g can borlotti beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 425 g can tomatoes (diced/chopped)
  • 1 liter vegetable stock
  • 50 g baby spinach (rinse and gently dry in tea towel first, not dried)
Metric - US Imperial

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet instructions, and drain.
  2. In a non-stick fry pan, saute the celery, carrot and onion for about 10 minutes in a few spoons of stock . During the final minutes of cooking, stir in the garlic and rosemary.
  3. Process one can of cannellini beans (adding a little water if necessary) until pureed but still chunky.
  4. Add pureed beans, whole beans, tomatoes, stock and one cup (250ml) water to celery, carrot and onion mixture.
  5. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat, stir through pasta and spinach/ parsley and season.
  7. Extra stock (and even a splash of white wine) can be added if too thick.
  8. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle some olive oil on top. Serve as thick soup with crusty bread.

Equipment needed: 

  • Food processor or stick blender (if using stick blender, process cannellini beans in separate bowl)
  • Colander/sieve for draining pasta Large saucepan Non-stick fry pan

Substitutions

  • Rosemary – 1 tsp dried rosemary can be used as an alternative to fresh.

Adapted from www.taste.com