Pasta E Fagioli

As summer winds into fall and the temperature winds from fry an egg on your forehead to having various appendages freeze and break off, I start to think of, plan for, and dream of heartier fair. I am also looking at fair that can be prepared simply, in small amounts, from my panty.

Pasta E Fagioli (which means “Pasta and Beans” is a hearty peasant style soup that is a traditional Italian one pot meal, and I dare say it would be almost impossible to mess this up

From Wikipedia:

Pasta e fagioli, meaning “pasta and beans”, is a traditional Italian soup. It is often called pasta fasul (fazool) in the United States, derived from its Neapolitan name, pasta e fasule.

Like many other Italian favorites, including pizza and polenta, it started as a peasant dish, being composed of inexpensive ingredients.

Recipes for pasta e fagioli vary, the only true requirement being that beans and pasta are included. While dish varies from region to region, it is most commonly made using cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, or borlotti beans and a small variety of pasta such as elbow macaroni or ditalini. The base typically includes olive oil, garlic, minced onion, celery, carrots, and often stewed tomatoes or tomato paste. Some variations omit tomatoes and instead use a broth base. Preparation may be vegetarian, or contain meat (often bacon, ground beef, or pancetta) or a meat-based stock.

Instapot Pasta e Fagioli

The Traditional Pasta and Bean soup, but "Faster"
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
NPR 30 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 1.5 Cup
Calories 499 kcal

Equipment

  • InstaPot

Ingredients
  

Beans

  • 8 oz Red Kidney Beans dried
  • 8 oz Cannellini Beans dried

Soup

  • 2 oz Macaroni
  • 4 Slices Bacon Thick Cut, chunked
  • 8 oz Italian Sausage Out of casing
  • 2 stalks Celery Diced
  • 1 tsp Garlic Minced
  • 1 ea Carrot Large, diced
  • 1 ea Onion Medium, minced
  • 8 oz Tomatoes Diced
  • 8 oz Tomato Sauce
  • 1 tsp Italian Seasoning See notes for make your own
  • 5 cups Stock Chicken or Veggie
  • 1 ea Bay Leaves
  • 2 ea Fresh Thyme
  • 1 ea Fresh Rosemary
  • 1 pinch Chili flake
  • 1/2 tsp Black pepper

Instructions
 

Beans

  • Sort and rinse beans
  • Place dried beans in instant pot with stock
  • Add all to InstaPot Select Chili/Beans Set time for 45 Minutes Make sure the vent is set to seal
  • After cooking let the pressure release normally. Do not vent let this drain, this takes about 25 minutes
  • If you want, one can take a cup of the beans and mash / blend and return to add a creaminess
  • Move to holding container and return instant pot liner to instapot

Soup

  • Set instant pot to saute, add bacon and cook to render fat
  • Add sausage and brown and breakup
  • Add minced celery, carrots, and cook until translucent
  • Add garlic and cook until fragrant
  • Reserve 1/2 cup of beans
  • Return a beans / juices to pot
  • Add tomatoes and sauce to pot
  • Add seasonings to pot
  • Add pasta to pot
  • Lid up and cook on high for 7 minutes, NPR for 15
  • Taste, season and balance flavor.
  • If the consistency is too loose, mash the reserved 1/2 cup of beans, and stir in, if too thin add stock and reserved beans, otherwise add reserved beans.

Notes

This is infact a hearty meal in itself.  A bowl of this, a small side salad, and several thick slices of buttered sourdough bread will satisfy the largest hunger
————-   Italian Seasoning —
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tbsp chili flake  (adjust to taste)
  • 1 tbsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tbsp dried rosemary
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp dried basil
Combine and crush in a small bowl, store in air proof container.
One general comment on dried herbs, I was gifted a bit of “Organic Oregano” and was totally amazed at the taste it “brought to the table”, as compared to the over the megamarket shelf.  IF one can, one should investigate local sources for dried herbs or plan, grow and dry your own.  Expect a set of posts on this

Nutrition

Calories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 22gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 2176mgPotassium: 821mgFiber: 10gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1499IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 92mgIron: 5mg
Keyword Beans, Pasta, Soup, Stew
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

  Filed under: Autumn, Bean, Ingredient, InstaPot, Italian, Pasta, Soup, Stew, Winter

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