Recipes › Pasta › Pasta Fazoolander Recipe

Pasta Fazoolander Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Pasta Fazoolander is a rustic Italian-American comfort dish combining tender pasta with creamy beans and aromatic vegetables in a savory tomato broth. This hearty, one-pot meal celebrates the simplicity of Italian peasant cooking, delivering warm, satisfying flavors in under an hour.

Ingredients

• 250g (8.8 oz) small pasta shapes (ditalini or elbow)
• 400g (14 oz) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 400g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced small
• 1 medium celery stalk, diced small
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 liter (4 cups) vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
• Fresh basil leaves, torn, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery; sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant.

2. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

3. Pour in crushed tomatoes with their juice and stir to combine with the vegetable mixture. Allow to simmer uncovered for 3 minutes.

4. Add the vegetable or chicken broth to the pot along with oregano and thyme. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.

5. Stir in the rinsed cannellini beans and pasta. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes until the pasta is tender and has absorbed some of the broth.

6. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. If the consistency is too thick, add warm broth or water in 100ml increments. The final texture should be creamy and broth-based, not overly thick.

7. Ladle the pasta fazoolander into warm bowls. Top each serving with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh torn basil leaves. Drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil if desired.

Substitutions

• Use cannellini beans: substitute with borlotti beans, chickpeas, or white kidney beans for similar texture
• For vegetarian version: replace broth with vegetable broth and omit any meat-based stock
• Pasta shape: ditalini can be replaced with small elbow pasta, small shells, or broken spaghetti pieces
• Fresh herbs: if basil unavailable, finish with fresh Italian parsley or a pinch of dried oregano

Tips

• Do not overcook the pasta—it will continue to soften as it sits in the broth, so remove from heat when just barely tender.
• The dish thickens as it cools; reheat with additional broth to reach desired consistency for leftovers.
• Toast the dried herbs briefly in the hot oil before adding vegetables to unlock deeper flavor.
• Prepare all vegetables before starting the pot; the quick cooking time leaves no room for prep delays.

Pasta fazool (pasta e fagioli) originates from Southern Italy and was traditionally a humble peasant dish made from pantry staples. This Fazoolander variation reflects Italian-American adaptations that embraced the same frugal, nourishing philosophy while incorporating locally available ingredients in North America.

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