this updated classic contains 2 kinds of beans, hearty whole wheat orzo pasta & plenty of veggies for a filling & delicious meal that’s warm & comforting!
Our whole house has been struck with some post-holiday travel stuffiness and for me, there’s nothing that combats that better a warm bowl of homemade soup.
Even if you’re not battling the sniffles like us, I promise you that you’ll love this batch of pasta e fagioli. It’s literally a warm hug in a bowl and absolutely loaded with nutrition.
Each bite dishes up a serving of whole grains, vegetables. protein and heart healthy fat – a nutritional one-stop shop!
It’s also so easy to pull together. The only work you really need to do is the prep and then it’s just about throwing things into the pot and letting all those delicious flavors meld together.
You can also make it completely your own – that’s the best part about easy soups like this. Really whatever you have on hand can work.
Pasta e fagioli literally means “pasta and beans” – so take your pick of pastas (though grains such as farro or barley would also work) and your favorite type of beans and you’re off to the races.
I added a little more veggies to pump up the nutrition just a bit more and then finished off with a sprinkling of freshly shaved parmesan cheese and some freshly chopped parsley.
It’s a great dinner option but also an easy lunch to pack!
pasta e fagioli
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
Description
this updated classic contains 2 kinds of beans, hearty whole wheat orzo pasta & plenty of veggies for a filling & delicious meal that’s warm & comforting!
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 slices of bacon, chopped (3 oz. pancetta would also work)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled & diced
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 15 ounce can low-sodium red kidney beans, drained
- 1 15 ounce can low-sodium cannellini beans, drained
- 3 1/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 3/4 – 1 cup whole wheat orzo pasta
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional (but highly recommended!) toppings: freshly shaved parmesan and freshly chopped parsley or basil
Instructions
- Place a dutch oven over medium-high heat and once warm, add olive oil.
- Add chopped bacon and cook, stirring frequently to ensure it crisps and browns on all sides (~4 minutes)
- Once bacon is cooked, add onion, carrots and celery to the pot cooking until just tender (~6 minutes).
- Add garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes stirring consistently for about 45 – 60 seconds.
- Add tomatoes and beans then bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, bring the heat back up to high and add broth and water. Once boiling, add the whole wheat orzo cooking for about 8-10 minutes or until orzo is al dente.
- Serve immediately topping with freshly shaved parmesan and parsley and a hunk of crusty bread to soak up the broth at the end!
Notes
This makes a lot of soup – about 8-10 servings. I like to reserve about 2-3 that I can eat within a few days for lunch and then I portion out and freeze the rest in freezer-safe bags so that I can just pull a bag out for a quick meal when needed.
adapted from my favorite cook’s illustrated recipe!
Keywords: soup, pasta e fagioli, beans
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