Description
Ina Garten’s pasta fagioli brings rustic Italian comfort straight to your kitchen. Hearty beans, savory pancetta, and rich tomato broth combine in a soul-warming soup that beckons you to savor each comforting spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Vegetables:
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ½ teaspoon chopped garlic
Liquid Ingredients:
- 24 to 32 ounces (680 to 907 grams) tomato sauce (adjust based on desired thickness)
- 1 (14 ounces / 397 grams) can low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Seasonings and Pasta:
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- ½ tablespoon dried basil leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ cups (354 milliliters) ditalini pasta
- 1 (15 ounces / 425 grams) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Create a flavor foundation by warming extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over moderate heat. Gently sauté the finely chopped onion, diced carrot, and sliced celery until they become tender and translucent, approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Introduce minced garlic to the vegetable mixture, stirring continuously for about 40 seconds to release its aromatic essence without burning, which could introduce bitter undertones.
- Pour in the rich chicken broth, incorporating freshly chopped parsley, dried basil, ground black pepper, and smooth tomato sauce. Whisk the ingredients together to ensure harmonious blending.
- Allow the soup to reach a gentle simmer, uncovered, for 18-22 minutes, enabling the flavors to meld and intensify. This slow cooking process develops a robust and complex taste profile.
- Simultaneously, prepare the pasta in a separate pot by bringing water to a rolling boil. Add a pinch of kosher salt (approximately or 2.5 grams) and carefully add the ditalini pasta (small tube-shaped pasta).
- Cook the pasta until it reaches al dente texture, typically 7-9 minutes, ensuring it maintains a slight firmness when bitten. Drain thoroughly using a colander.
- Incorporate the cooked ditalini and drained cannellini beans into the simmering soup. Gently stir and heat for an additional 1-2 minutes, allowing the ingredients to integrate seamlessly.
- Taste and refine the seasoning, adding kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed to enhance the overall flavor profile.
- Ladle the steaming soup into warm bowls, optionally garnishing with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serving alongside a crusty artisan bread for a complete dining experience.
Notes
- Elevate Vegetable Sautéing: Slowly caramelize onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat to unlock deep, rich flavors that will transform your soup’s base.
- Protect Delicate Garlic: Introduce minced garlic during the final 30 seconds of vegetable cooking to prevent burning and maintain its sweet, aromatic essence.
- Master Pasta Preparation: Separately cook pasta just until al dente, ensuring it retains a slight firmness that prevents mushiness when added to the hot soup.
- Control Liquid Concentration: Simmer soup uncovered, allowing excess liquid to gently evaporate and concentrate the broth’s natural, robust taste.
- Optimize Seasoning Timing: Add herbs and spices in stages, starting with robust ones during cooking and finishing with delicate herbs just before serving to maximize flavor complexity.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 212 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 360 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg