Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Easy One-Pot Italian Comfort Soup)

 This classic Pasta e Fagioli Soup is a hearty Italian bean-and-pasta soup that’s perfect for chilly nights and busy weeknights alike. With pantry staples like ditalini pasta, cannellini and kidney beans, savory Italian sausage, and a rich tomato broth, this soup delivers big flavor without fuss.

Unlike other versions that take hours, this homemade recipe comes together in about 30 minutes thanks to quick-cooking pasta, canned beans, and canned tomatoes while still offering deep, comforting flavor every time.

No more bland or watery soups! This method balances acidity, herbs, and rich broth so you get a full-bodied texture and satisfying spoonful in every bowl.

Why You’ll Love This

• Easy one-pot comfort soup
• Bold Italian flavor in minutes
• Family-friendly and filling
• Pantry-friendly with canned ingredients
• Customizable (meat or vegetarian)
• Great for meal prep or leftovers

Pasta e Fagioli Soup vs. Olive Garden Copycat

• Classic vs copycat: The Kitchen Dreaming version is simpler and homemade, focusing on traditional soup flavors rather than a restaurant copycat.
• Choose this recipe for quick prep and authentic Italian pantry ingredients; choose a copycat if you want to mimic restaurant texture or add extra protein like ground beef.

How to Make Pasta e Fagioli Soup

This flavorful Italian soup is made by cooking pasta separately, sautéing Italian sausage and aromatics, then simmering beans and tomatoes in broth until rich and cozy.

** You can find the full recipe ingredients and instructions on the printable recipe card below.

Method: Stovetop (Primary)

1. Boil salted water; cook ditalini until al dente. Drain and set aside.
2. Brown spicy Italian sausage in a large pot, breaking it up.
3. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened.
4. Stir in broth, kidney beans, cannellini beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning [paid link].
5. Simmer 15–20 minutes until veggies are tender.
6. Add cooked pasta back to soup; heat through.

Optional Texture Tip

If the soup is too thin, simmer uncovered until it reduces slightly; to thicken more, mash a few beans into the broth.

What Can Go Wrong (& Fixes)

• Too thin → simmer longer uncovered.
• Too thick → add more broth or water.
• Bland → add more Italian seasoning [paid link] or salt.
• Pasta mushy → cook pasta al dente before adding.

Ingredients (& What They Do)

** You can find the full recipe ingredients and instructions on the printable recipe card below.

• Ditalini pasta: small size holds broth well.
• Italian sausage: adds savory depth.
• Beans: protein and creamy texture.
• Tomatoes/broth: base for rich flavor.
• Italian seasoning [paid link]: classic herb profile.

Ingredient Substitution Notes

• Vegetarian: omit sausage, use vegetable broth.
• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free ditalini.
• Beans: swap with borlotti or great northern beans.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t overcook pasta if making ahead.
• Rinse beans to reduce sodium.
• Add fresh parsley or parmesan for garnish.

What to Serve With Pasta e Fagioli Soup

• Pillowy bread sticks
• Garlic Bread
• Caprese Salad or Salad with Vinaigrette

Storage

• Refrigerate up to 3 days (add broth when reheating).
• Freeze soup base without pasta; add pasta when serving.

Time-Saving Swaps

• Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken for quicker protein.
• Pre-chopped frozen mirepoix to reduce prep time.

Leftover Uses

• Turn into a pasta bake by adding cheese.
• Use soup base over cooked grains.
• Blend half for creamy bean soup.
• Freeze base for future meals.

People Also Ask (FAQs)

Can I make this ahead? Yes — cook the base, store, then add pasta when reheating.
Can I use dried beans? Yes, but soak and cook before adding.
How do I store? Refrigerate soup (without pasta) up to 3 days.
Can I freeze? Freeze the base without pasta up to 3 months.

Final Thoughts

This Pasta e Fagioli Soup delivers comfort in a bowl, big Italian flavor with minimal effort, and versatility for weeknights, meal prep, or cozy weekends.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Ronda Eagle | Kitchen Dreaming

This easy, Pasta e Fagioli soup is hearty and comforting. Enjoy better-than-the-restaurant quality soup when you prepare this delicious dish at home!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8 servings

Calories 297 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup ditalini pasta , regular, whole wheat or gluten-free
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage , loose or with the casings removed
• Salt and ground black pepper , to taste
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 onion , diced
• 3 carrots , peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery , diced
• 3 cups vegetable broth [See Note 1]
• 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans drained and rinsed well
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed well
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce [See Note 2]
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes [See Note 2]
• 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning [paid link] [See Note 3]

Instructions

 

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven [paid link] over medium heat. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Stir in garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
• Whisk [paid link] in vegetable broth [See Note 1], tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian Seasoning [paid link] Spice blend, and Italian sausage; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook until vegetables are tender – about 10-15 minutes.
• Stir in the beans until just heated through – about 3 minutes.
• If serving the full soup with no anticipated leftovers, add the pasta to the soup and stir to combine. Otherwise, I add mine to the bowls at serving. Pasta continues to soak up the soup broth at it sits in the refrigerator.

Notes

1. Vegetable broth may be omitted and replaced with water or chicken stock. Note there will be a slight flavor difference.
2. Use the highest quality tomatoes and tomato sauce that your budget allows. The tomato flavor is prominent in this recipe so you want the flavors to really stand out.
3. Italian Seasoning Spice blend is sold where the dried oregano and basil are sold. It is not meant to be confused with dry salad dressing mix.

 

EXPERT TIPS:

 

Why Should I drain and Rinse Canned Beans?

The liquid in canned beans consists mostly of starch and salt that may change the texture or taste of your dish. Most of our recipes call for draining and rinsing the beans to remove the excess salt and starch. This significantly improves the sodium content of any recipe containing beans.

What is in Italian Seasoning?

Italian Seasoning is a dry spice blend that is sold where the spices and seasonings are sold. It should not be confused with dry Italian salad dressing mix.

Italian Seasoning contains a blend of dried herbs which includes oregano, marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, and sage.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 297kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 11gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 786mgPotassium: 295mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 4020IUVitamin C: 3.9mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1.3mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you loved this Paste e Fagioli Soup, you might also enjoy more recipes from our SOUP COLLECTION. Looking for even more ideas? Browse our full set of Recipe Group Boards to find your next favorite meal.

📌 Save this recipe for later