• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Soup » Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Published: March 3, 2019 Last Modified: March 3, 2019 By Sara 27 Comments

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Pasta e Fagioli Soup | Pasta Fazool | Beef Soup | Italian Soup #soup #beef #italianfood #pasta #dinner #dinneratthezoo

This pasta e fagioli is a hearty soup made with ground beef, pasta, vegetables and beans, all simmered together in a rich tomato broth. An easy dinner option that the whole family is sure to love!

We eat soup at least once a week at my house, it’s easy to make, filling and kid friendly. Some of our favorites include Olive Garden minestrone soup, slow cooker chicken tortellini soup, and this colorful pasta e fagioli.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup | Pasta Fazool | Beef Soup | Italian Soup #soup #beef #italianfood #pasta #dinner #dinneratthezoo

Pasta e Fagioli Soup | Pasta Fazool | Beef Soup | Italian Soup #soup #beef #italianfood #pasta #dinner #dinneratthezoo

A bowl of pasta e fagioli soup with colorful veggies, ditalini pasta, two types of beans and ground beef.

Every time I go to my local Italian restaurant, I order a bowl of pasta e fagioli soup. That combination of meat, beans and veggies just can’t be beat! I’ve created my own homemade version of this soup, and I have to say, it’s even better than the restaurant version.

What is pasta e fagioli?

Pasta e fagioli means “pasta and beans” in Italian, and refers to a soup that contains both ingredients. Sometimes this soup is also referred to as “pasta fazool”. The soup typically contains some type of meat such as ground beef or sausage, one or two types of beans, and short pasta in a tomato broth.

How do you make pasta e fagioli soup?

The first step in making this soup is to cook up your ground beef and onions. After the meat is cooked, a colorful variety of vegetables and tomatoes are added to the pot, then simmered in broth until tender. The final step is to add cooked short pasta and two types of beans. Add a sprinkling of parsley and a little parmesan cheese, then you’ll be ready to eat.

Ground beef and onions cooked in a soup pot.

Tips for Pasta e Fagioli

  • I typically use 90% lean ground beef for this soup, it has plenty of flavor without a lot of grease. If you prefer, you can use Italian sausage instead.
  • Any short pasta will work in this soup. I typically use ditalini which is also called salad macaroni. Other great options are elbow macaroni or small shell pasta.
  • I like to use a combination of two types of beans for the best flavor and texture. You can also use two cans of one variety of bean if you prefer.
  • This recipe calls for dried Italian seasoning which is a blend of herbs and often includes basil, parsley, oregano and thyme. You can find Italian seasoning in the spice aisle. Alternatively, you can mix your own herbs to create a similar blend.

Ground beef, onions, tomatoes, carrots, celery, herbs and spices in a soup pot.

Can you freeze pasta e fagioli?

This soup works best as a freezer meal if you omit the pasta before freezing it. You can freeze your soup for up 2 months. Thaw the soup, then heat it up on the stove top. Stir in freshly cooked pasta right before serving, then enjoy.

Pasta e fagioli made with kidney beans, white beans and ditalini pasta.

Slow Cooker Pasta e fagioli

This recipe can easily be adapted to use in a slow cooker. Simply brown your beef and onions as directed, then add the beef mixture to the crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients except for the pasta, beans and parsley. Cook on low heat for 4 hours. Stir in the beans and freshly cooked pasta, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.

A pot of pasta e fagioli soup made with ground beef, vegetables, beans and pasta.

Skip the Italian restaurant and make your own pasta e fagioli soup at home, your family will be glad that you did!

More great soup recipes

  • Stuffed Pepper Soup
  • Cabbage Roll Soup
  • Mexican Chicken Soup
  • Italian Meatball Soup
  • Hot and Sour Soup
A bowl of pasta e fagioli soup with colorful veggies, ditalini pasta, two types of beans and ground beef.
Print Pin
5 from 10 votes

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

This pasta e fagioli is a hearty soup made with ground beef, pasta, vegetables and beans, all simmered together in a rich tomato broth. An easy dinner option that the whole family is sure to love!
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 477kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 2 teaspoons garlic minced
  • 1 cup celery sliced
  • 3 carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
  • 15 ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
  • 3 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup ditalini pasta uncooked
  • 15 ounce can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounce can Great Northern beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula.
  • Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Add the celery, carrots, tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, beef broth and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer.
  • Simmer for 15-18 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  • While soup is simmering, boil the ditalini pasta in a separate pot according to package directions.
  • Add the cooked pasta and beans to the soup, stir to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
  • Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

Notes

If you'd prefer to boil the pasta in the soup, you'll need to add an additional 3 cups of broth. Add the pasta and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through, then stir in the beans.
Pasta absorbs a lot of broth which is why I prefer to boil it separately then add it at the end, the pasta maintains a better texture that way.

Nutrition

Calories: 477kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 692mg | Potassium: 1307mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5265IU | Vitamin C: 12.4mg | Calcium: 153mg | Iron: 7.2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Dinner, Soup

FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

    ​
    ​

    Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

    « Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic and Herbs
    Crab Salad Recipe »

    Comments

    1. Janey says

      April 10, 2022 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      I altered the recipe by using ground turkey and it was very good!

      Reply
    2. Erin M Davis says

      January 27, 2021 at 10:18 am

      5 stars
      I made this with Italian sausage, added crushed red pepper, and parmesan cheese rind. My daughter said it’s the best I’ve ever had! Love all your recipes at the “zoo” 😁

      Reply
    3. Jan says

      October 10, 2020 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      One of my new favorite soups to make. It’s a meal in a bowl!

      Reply
    4. Ashley Poirier says

      September 19, 2019 at 9:52 am

      5 stars
      This recipe turned out perfect! I did add a bay leaf and a parmigiano reggiano rind. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! My husband and 2 year old both loved it. I’ll definitely make this again!

      Reply
    5. Mike says

      May 10, 2019 at 3:47 pm

      5 stars
      Just made it , a very tasty and hardy soup. Looking forward to dinner time. Will definitely make this again.
      I added a couple of bay leaves and a chunk of Parmesan to the soup. I am not a kidney bean fan and only used 1 can of northern beans.

      Reply
    6. natalie says

      March 11, 2019 at 7:13 am

      This looks like the perfect winter meal – so warming and full of goodness.

      Reply
    7. Khushboo Motihar says

      March 8, 2019 at 10:35 am

      I love this pasta and beans recipe! Looks wholesome, nutritious and delicious 🙂

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More

    Grilling Recipes

    This recipe for cilantro lime chicken is marinated grilled chicken that's topped with a zesty cilantro lime sauce. The perfect quick and easy way to spice up your grilled chicken! #ConquerTheExpected #ad

    Cilantro Lime Chicken

    Sliced grilled flank steak on a platter.

    Grilled Flank Steak

    Sliced grilled chicken thighs with cilantro and lime flavoring.

    Grilled Chicken Thighs with Cilantro and Lime

    The best chicken marinade covering grilled chicken breasts, garnished with lemon.

    The Best Chicken Marinade

    These grilled lemon sriracha shrimp are a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy and a whole lot delicious! #KingsfordFlavor #Ad

    Grilled Sriracha Shrimp

    This recipe for Greek chicken kabobs is garlic and herb marinated chicken and colorful vegetables, skewered and grilled to perfection. Serve these skewers with a creamy cucumber yogurt dip for an easy and delicious dinner!

    Greek Chicken Kabobs

    More Posts from this Category

    Featured Recipes

    This honey garlic shrimp stir fry is an easy recipe that's ready in 20 minutes.

    Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

    A glass of frozen fruit smoothie in crushed ice, garnished with berries and mint.

    Frozen Fruit Smoothie

    This chicken noodle casserole is diced chicken, veggies and egg noodles all in a creamy sauce.

    Chicken Noodle Casserole

    A pan of honey garlic chicken stir fry with a spatula in it.

    Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

    FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

    Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

      ​
      ​

      Categories

      Sites I am featured In
      PRIVACY POLICY ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2022.
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • RSS
      • Twitter
      • About Me
      • Contact Me
      • All Recipes
      • Dinner
      • Appetizers
      • Dessert
      • One Pot Meals
      • Slow Cooker
      • Asian Food