Authentic Pasta e Fagioli with Pancetta
A cozy Italian soup with crispy pancetta, cannellini beans, and ditalini in a rich tomato broth. Part of the soup gets blended for a thick, silky texture, and it all comes together in under an hour.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 364.57kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta diced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can crushed tomatoes or passata 14.5 ounce can
- 6 cups chicken broth plus extra if needed
- 2 cans cannellini beans 15 ounce cans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 parmesan rind
- ¾ cup ditalini pasta
- Grated parmesan for serving
- Fresh parsley chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the pancetta for about 5 minutes, until crisp. Remove it with a slotted spoon and leave the fat in the pot.2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 ounces pancetta
- Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until softened.1 yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Stir in the garlic and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until it darkens.4 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Add the broth, tomatoes, beans, bay leaf, and parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.1 can crushed tomatoes or passata, 6 cups chicken broth, 2 cans cannellini beans, 1 bay leaf, 1 parmesan rind
- Remove the bay leaf and rind. Blend 1 to 2 cups of the soup until smooth, then stir it back in.
- Return the bay leaf and rind to the pot. Add the ditalini and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring often, until al dente. Add a splash of warm broth if the soup becomes too thick.¾ cup ditalini pasta
- Remove the bay leaf and rind. Stir in the pancetta, adjust the seasoning, and serve with parmesan and parsley.Grated parmesan, Fresh parsley
Video
Notes
- Blend only 1-2 cups of soup to thicken the broth while keeping plenty of whole beans and vegetables.
- Add the pancetta just before serving so it keeps some of its crisp texture.
- For more control over the salt, use low sodium broth and unsalted beans, then season to taste at the end.
- If you don’t have a parmesan rind, add extra grated parmesan after cooking.
- Swap in the same amount of bacon if you don’t have pancetta. The soup will taste a little smokier.
- For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic and oregano.
- Freeze the soup without the pasta for up to 3 months, then add freshly cooked ditalini when reheating.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Add broth when reheating if the pasta has soaked up too much liquid.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 364.57kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.96g | Protein: 16.78g | Fat: 13.34g | Saturated Fat: 3.33g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.97g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.84g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 17.29mg | Sodium: 1852.03mg | Potassium: 491.44mg | Fiber: 10.34g | Sugar: 7.03g | Vitamin A: 3652.64IU | Vitamin C: 10.71mg | Calcium: 151.31mg | Iron: 5.04mg
