How to Make Pasta Fagioli Soup

Pasta fagioli is an Italian soup consisting mainly of pasta and beans. It is a basic soup recipe that can be served in smaller portions for appetizers or in bowls for a hearty, one-pot meal. Pasta fagioli is a versatile dish and you can easily add in any of your favorite meats or vegetables for a personalized version. Since the soup is made primarily of inexpensive ingredients, it is very budget-friendly as well as filling and nutritious.

Things You'll Need

• 8 slices bacon
• Sharp knife
• Large soup pot
• Paper towel
• Plate
• 1 large onion (any variety)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary (or 1/2 tbsp. fresh)
• 2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans red kidney beans
• 5 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup small tube-shaped pasta (such as elbow macaroni)
• Saucepan
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Chop the bacon into small pieces, then add to a large soup pot. Turn the stove to "medium" heat and cook the bacon until it's crisp (about five minutes), then remove the bacon and place it on a plate lined with paper towel to drain.

2. Slice the onion in half, remove the skin, then chop the onion into small pieces. Add the chopped onions to the pot and cook in the bacon dripping for approximately seven minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent without being browned.

3. Peel the garlic gloves and chop into very fine pieces while the onions are cooking. Once the onions are softened, add the chopped garlic and the rosemary to the pot and cook for about one minute to heat the garlic.

4. Open the cans of kidney beans and drain the juices, then add the beans and chicken broth to the soup pot. Stir to combine, then raise the stove to "high" and heat until the soup starts to boil.

5. Reduce the heat to "medium" once the soup comes to a boil, then heat for about 10 minutes or until the beans are tender without being mushy. Boil the pasta in a separate pot according to the package instructions (generally about 8 minutes for 1 cup pasta) while the soup is simmering.

6. Drain the pasta and add it to the simmered soup along with the reserved cooked bacon pieces and your desired amount of salt and pepper. Sprinkle each bowl of the soup with grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• Add chopped vegetables, such as carrots and celery, along with the beans and chicken broth to add more nutrients or use up leftovers.

• Lower the fat content by draining the bacon drippings and using 1 tbsp. each of butter and olive oil to cook the onions and garlic.

• Watch the garlic carefully as it cooks so it doesn't burn and become bitter.

References

• Food Network: Pasta e Fagioli Recipe
• Fine Cooking Magazine