This authentic pasta e fagioli with pancetta is the kind of cozy Italian soup I crave when the evenings turn cool. I crisp the pancetta first, then cook the onion, carrots, and celery in the flavorful fat left behind. Cannellini beans simmer with tomatoes and a parmesan rind before I blend a small portion to make the broth thick and silky. The ditalini cooks right in the pot, soaking up all that flavor. Finish each bowl with the crispy pancetta, fresh parsley, and plenty of parmesan for a hearty dinner that comes together in under an hour.

Two bowls of pasta e fagioli with beans, ditalini, Parmesan, and parsley are served with crusty bread on a wooden table.

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The Blending Trick That Makes This Soup Taste Restaurant Style
Key Ingredients
Instructions
Sarah's Top Tips
Serving Suggestions
Storage & Reheating
Authentic Pasta e Fagioli with Pancetta
Comments

The Blending Trick That Makes This Soup Taste Restaurant Style

I love a brothy soup, but for pasta e fagioli, I want the beans and pasta nestled in a rich broth that has some body to it. Blending a small portion of the soup gives it that texture without cream or flour. After the beans and vegetables simmer, blend just 1-2 cups of soup and stir it back into the pot before adding the pasta. The pureed beans make the broth thick and silky, while the rest stay whole. If you skip this step, the soup will still taste good, but the broth will be thinner.

Pancetta gives this pasta e fagioli its savory base. Cooking it first leaves flavorful fat in the pot for the vegetables, while removing it before the soup simmers keeps it from turning soft. Stir it back in at the end so you get a little crispy pancetta in each bowl.

I also like to simmer a parmesan rind with the beans for extra savory flavor. If you don't have one, add a handful of grated parmesan at the end and taste before adding more salt. I save rinds from finished wedges in the freezer, so there's usually one ready for my next pot of soup.

When I'm planning a larger Italian dinner, I serve smaller bowls of this soup before my Chicken Cacciatore (No Olives).

Key Ingredients

Ingredients for pasta e fagioli include pancetta, cannellini beans, ditalini, passata, tomato paste, chicken broth, onion, carrots, celery, spinach, garlic, Parmesan rind, olive oil, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and oregano.

Pancetta. It adds savory flavor to the soup, and the rendered fat helps flavor the vegetables. You can use the same amount of bacon, though it will give the soup a smokier taste.
Cannellini beans. These become especially creamy when blended, while the whole beans hold their shape. Great northern or navy beans also work.
Parmesan rind. Let it simmer in the broth for extra savory flavor. If you don't have one, add more grated parmesan when you finish the soup.
Ditalini pasta. These little tubes are a classic choice for pasta e fagioli. Small shells or elbow macaroni are good substitutes.
Crushed tomatoes or passata. Use either one. Passata will give the broth a smoother texture.
Chicken broth. Vegetable broth works too. If you want to make the soup vegetarian, you'll also need to leave out the pancetta and use a vegetarian alternative to parmesan.

See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

Diced pancetta cooks in a large pot until the fat renders and the edges begin to brown.

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for about 5 minutes, until crisp. Transfer it to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.

Chopped carrots, celery, and onion sauté with seasonings in a large pot.

Step 2

Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and black pepper, then cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion looks translucent.

Tomato paste and garlic are added to sautéed carrots, celery, and onion for the pasta e fagioli base.

Step 3

Stir in the garlic and oregano and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste.

Carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and tomato paste cook together until the vegetables are softened and coated in tomato.

Step 4

Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes, until it deepens in color and smells slightly toasted.

Chicken broth, passata, vegetables, and a bay leaf simmer together in a large pot.

Step 5

Pour in the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. Add both cans of cannellini beans, the bay leaf, and the parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Ditalini pasta, cannellini beans, and vegetables simmer in a thick tomato broth with a bay leaf.

Step 6

Return the bay leaf and parmesan rind to the pot. Stir in the ditalini and cook for 8-9 minutes, or until al dente, stirring often so the pasta doesn't stick. If the soup thickens more than you'd like, add about ½ cup of warm broth. Remove and discard the bay leaf and parmesan rind. Stir in the pancetta, taste, and adjust the salt and pepper. Serve with grated parmesan and fresh parsley.

Sarah's Top Tips

Blend only 1-2 cups of soup. This gives the broth a creamy texture while leaving plenty of whole beans and vegetables in each bowl. If you blend too much, the soup can become more like a puree.
Save the crispy pancetta until the end. Cooking it first flavors the vegetables and broth, but simmering it with the soup will soften it. Stir it in just before serving so you still get those crisp, savory bites.

Two bowls of pasta e fagioli with ditalini and cannellini beans are topped with Parmesan and parsley and served with crusty bread.

Serving Suggestions

Most nights, I serve pasta e fagioli with warm, crusty bread so there's something to soak up the broth. It makes a satisfying dinner without much else on the table.

If I'm serving the soup as a starter, I'll make smaller portions and follow them with my Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs. The meatballs bring plenty of saucy, cheesy flavor, so I can serve them on their own and keep the meal simple.

For something fresh alongside the soup, try my Spinach and Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. The lemon dressing is a nice contrast to the rich broth and pancetta.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: Keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pasta will continue to absorb the broth, so expect the soup to be thicker the next day.

Freezer: For the best texture, freeze the soup base before adding the pasta. Ditalini can become mushy after thawing. Store the base in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, then thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Cook fresh pasta and add it when you reheat the soup.

Reheating: Reheat the soup in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth to loosen it if needed. You can also microwave individual portions in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each, until hot.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below-I'd love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!

The Blending Trick That Makes This Soup Taste Restaurant Style

Key Ingredients