Pasta e Fagioli Soup is a hearty, comforting dinner packed with tender ground beef, two kinds of beans, ditalini, vegetables, and a savory tomato-herb broth. It comes together in about 40 minutes and reheats beautifully.
When you need something warm and filling without committing to an all-day soup, this is a great pot to put on the stove. The combination of beef, creamy beans, small pasta, and tender vegetables makes every bowl substantial enough for a complete meal.
The tomato-rich broth gets plenty of flavor from garlic, onion, basil, oregano, thyme, and marjoram. Cooking the pasta separately also gives you better control over its texture, so the ditalini stays pleasantly tender instead of becoming overly soft while the vegetables simmer.
Finish your bowl with fresh parsley and a little finely shredded Parmesan or Romano. It is simple, familiar comfort food that works especially well for busy weeknight dinners, relaxed weekends, or a warming lunch the next day.
Pasta e Fagioli Soup Ingredients
You do not need complicated ingredients to build plenty of flavor in this soup. Most of the work comes from layering the beef, vegetables, tomatoes, and dried herbs in the right order.
- Lean ground beef: Gives the soup a hearty, savory base while keeping excess grease to a minimum.
- Yellow onion: Softens during sautéing and provides sweetness and depth.
- Carrots: Add mild sweetness, color, and a tender bite.
- Celery: Brings the classic aromatic flavor you expect in a comforting vegetable soup.
- Fresh garlic: Adds a stronger savory note once briefly cooked with the vegetables.
- Olive oil: Used for browning and sautéing the main ingredients.
- Diced tomatoes: Add tomato pieces and a little extra texture to the broth.
- Tomato sauce: Creates the smooth, rich tomato base surrounding the meat, pasta, and beans.
- Reduced-sodium chicken broth: Provides savory liquid while allowing you to control the final seasoning.
- Basil, oregano, thyme, and marjoram: The dried herb blend gives the broth its Italian-inspired character.
- Granulated sugar: A small amount softens the sharper acidity of the tomatoes.
- Great Northern beans: Mild and creamy, these help make the soup especially satisfying.
- Dark red kidney beans: Add a firmer texture and make the bean mixture more interesting.
- Ditalini pasta: The small shape is ideal for spooning up with beans and vegetables.
- Fresh parsley: Brightens the finished soup after cooking.
- Parmesan or Romano cheese: Adds a salty, savory finish when sprinkled over individual bowls.
Cooking Steps
STEP 1: Heat half of the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Once completely browned, drain excess fat and transfer the beef to a plate.
STEP 2: Add the remaining olive oil to the same pot, followed by the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have started to soften. Add the garlic and cook for about another minute.
STEP 3: Pour in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and water. Return the browned beef to the pot, then stir in the sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, and marjoram. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
STEP 4: Bring the soup base to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots, celery, and onion are tender and the flavors have had time to blend.
STEP 5: While the soup simmers, cook the ditalini in a separate pot of salted water according to the package directions. Stop cooking when the pasta reaches al dente, then drain it well.
STEP 6: Rinse and drain both varieties of beans. Stir the kidney beans, Great Northern beans, and cooked ditalini into the soup. Simmer for about 1 minute, just long enough to heat everything through. Add a splash of broth or water if you prefer a thinner consistency.
STEP 7: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the chopped fresh parsley. Taste once more and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese.
What to Serve with Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Because this soup already contains beef, beans, pasta, and vegetables, the most useful accompaniments are usually simple ones that complement the rich tomato broth.
- Crusty bread: Thick slices of warm bread are ideal for soaking up the tomato and herb broth left at the bottom of the bowl.
- Simple green salad: Crisp greens with a light dressing provide a fresh contrast to the hearty beans and pasta.
- Roasted vegetables: A straightforward tray of roasted vegetables works well if you want to turn the soup into a larger family-style dinner.
Should I cook the pasta separately?
Yes. Cooking the ditalini separately gives you much better control over its final texture. Pasta cooked directly in the soup continues absorbing broth as it sits and can become very soft. Separate cooking is particularly useful when you expect to have leftovers.
It also makes it easier to adjust how much pasta goes into each bowl. If you know the soup will be stored for another day, you can even keep some of the cooked ditalini separate until serving.
Can I use only one type of bean?
Yes. Although using both kidney beans and Great Northern beans provides a nice contrast in texture, you can make the soup with only one variety if that is what you have available.
Use approximately the same total amount of drained beans so the overall balance between broth, beef, vegetables, and beans remains similar.
How can I keep pasta e fagioli from getting too thick?
Ditalini and beans naturally make the soup thicker as it rests. If the broth becomes denser than you prefer, simply stir in a small amount of additional chicken broth or water.
Add the liquid gradually, especially when reheating leftovers, so you can loosen the soup without accidentally diluting the tomato and herb flavor too much.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes. In fact, the tomato, beef, vegetable, and herb base is well suited to advance preparation. For the best pasta texture, prepare the soup base ahead and store the cooked ditalini separately.
When you are ready to eat, reheat the soup thoroughly and add the pasta shortly before serving.
What cheese works well on top?
Both finely shredded Parmesan and Romano are excellent choices. Parmesan has a slightly milder, nutty character, while Romano gives the bowl a sharper, saltier finish.
Add the cheese after ladling the hot soup into bowls rather than stirring a large amount directly into the pot. This lets everyone adjust the topping to their preference.
Helpful Tips
- Keep the vegetables evenly sized. Cutting the carrots and celery into roughly 1/2-inch pieces helps them soften at approximately the same rate.
- Stop the pasta at al dente. It will warm again once added to the hot broth, so slightly firm pasta gives you a better final texture.
- Taste before adding more salt. Broth, beans, and finishing cheese can all contribute saltiness, so make your final seasoning adjustment near the end.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Allow leftover pasta e fagioli to cool before transferring it to airtight containers. Refrigerate it promptly and use it within about 3 to 4 days.
The pasta will gradually absorb some of the broth during storage, so expect the soup to thicken overnight. When reheating, add a splash of chicken broth or water before warming it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until the beef, beans, pasta, and broth are hot throughout.
Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave. Use a microwave-safe bowl, cover loosely, and heat in shorter intervals, stirring between each one so the soup warms evenly.
For freezer storage, the soup base freezes better without the ditalini because cooked pasta can soften considerably after freezing and thawing. If you are intentionally preparing a batch for the freezer, set aside the portion you want to freeze before adding the pasta. Cool it completely, transfer it to freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to about 3 months.
Thaw frozen soup overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it gently and add freshly cooked ditalini before serving. Stir in fresh parsley at the end and finish each bowl with Parmesan or Romano for the same fresh, savory character as the original pot.
A little extra chopped parsley makes a simple final garnish, and if you enjoy a brighter contrast with the tomato broth, a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice at serving time can lift the flavors without changing the hearty character of the soup.
Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 can 15 oz diced tomatoes
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup celery cut into approximately 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons granulated white sugar
- 2 cans 14.5 oz each reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 cans 8 oz each tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion approximately 1 large onion
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup carrots diced into roughly 1/2-inch pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed
For the Add-Ins
- 1 can 15 oz Great Northern beans, thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 1 can 15 oz dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta
- Additional water or chicken broth if required for thinning
For Finishing and Serving
- 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
- Finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese for topping
Instructions
- Warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the lean ground beef and break it into small crumbles while it cooks. Continue cooking, stirring from time to time, until the meat is completely browned and cooked through.
- Drain away any excess rendered fat, then transfer the cooked beef to a plate and reserve it for later.
- Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the same pot. Add the chopped yellow onion, diced carrots, and celery. Cook over medium-high heat for approximately 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the minced garlic and continue sautéing for about 1 minute, just until the garlic becomes aromatic.
- Pour the chicken broth, tomato sauce, water, and diced tomatoes into the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Add the sugar, dried basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and the reserved cooked ground beef.
- Season the mixture with salt and ground black pepper according to taste, then stir thoroughly so the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and allow the soup to simmer for 15–20 minutes. Stir occasionally and continue cooking until the vegetables are very tender.
- While the soup is simmering, prepare the ditalini pasta separately according to the package instructions. Cook it only until al dente, then drain thoroughly.
- If the cooked pasta will remain standing for several minutes before being incorporated into the soup, a very small drizzle of olive oil may be tossed with it to help prevent sticking.
- Stir the cooked ditalini into the simmering soup. Add the drained and rinsed dark red kidney beans and Great Northern beans, mixing gently to distribute them throughout the pot.
- If the consistency is thicker than desired, add a small quantity of extra chicken broth or water until the preferred texture is reached.
- Continue simmering for approximately 1 additional minute, or until the pasta and beans are fully heated.
- Ladle the pasta e fagioli into individual bowls while warm. Finish each serving with finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese.