Recipes › Pasta › Pasta Fazul Recipe

Pasta Fazul Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

Pasta fazul is a rustic Italian bean and pasta soup that bridges the humble traditions of peasant cooking with hearty, nourishing comfort. This one-pot dish combines tender cannellini beans, small pasta shapes, and aromatic vegetables in a tomato-based broth, finished with fruity olive oil and fresh herbs. Perfect as a main course, it exemplifies Italian cucina povera—making something deeply satisfying from simple, quality ingredients.

Ingredients

• 300 g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight (or 600 g canned cannellini beans, drained)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, cut into small dice
• 2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
• 400 g canned whole tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
• 1 liter vegetable or light chicken broth
• 200 g small pasta shapes (ditalini or small shells)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 80 g fresh spinach or kale, roughly chopped (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery (the soffritto base) and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften and release their aromas.

2. Add minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not allow garlic to brown.

3. Pour in the crushed canned tomatoes with their juice. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the pot bottom. Add the dried oregano and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the drained cannellini beans and broth to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

5. Add the dry pasta to the simmering broth and stir immediately to prevent sticking. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender but still holds its shape. The mixture should thicken slightly as starch releases from the pasta.

6. If using fresh greens, stir them in during the last 2 minutes of cooking until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

7. Ladle the pasta fazul into bowls. Drizzle each serving with a small amount of high-quality extra virgin olive oil and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

Substitutions

• Use 400 g canned borlotti beans or mixed beans instead of cannellini for deeper flavor and texture variation
• Replace fresh spinach with 100 g frozen spinach or omit greens entirely for a lighter version
• Substitute ditalini pasta with any small pasta shape such as elbow, orzo, or small shells depending on availability
• For a vegetarian broth, use vegetable stock; for more depth, use unsalted chicken or light beef broth

Tips

• If the soup becomes too thick after standing, thin it with warm broth or water before serving—pasta fazul should have a brothiness between soup and stew
• Prepare dried beans one day ahead by soaking overnight; this reduces cooking time and makes beans creamier. If using canned beans, the dish comes together much faster
• Fresh herbs make a significant difference; if dried parsley is your only option, add it during cooking rather than as garnish for better integration
• This dish actually improves after a day in the refrigerator as flavors deepen, making it excellent for meal preparation

Pasta fazul (pasta e fagioli in Italian) originates from Southern Italy and represents the heart of cucina povera—peasant cuisine that transforms inexpensive pantry staples into deeply nourishing meals. The dish has long been a staple of working-class Italian tables and reflects the region's agricultural traditions and resourcefulness.

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