Pasta and Kidney Bean Soup (Pasta Fazool)
This Italian pasta fazool is a comforting and wholesome soup made from simple pantry ingredients. It features a rich tomato broth with kidney beans, small pasta, and aromatic herbs. The dish comes together quickly for a satisfying meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner. You can optionally add pancetta for extra depth of flavour. It yields about 2 quarts, serving four people.
Ingredients
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 ounces pancetta or bacon, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced on a microplane grater
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1 quart homemade or low-sodium canned chicken broth
- 2 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup small pasta such as shells, ditali, or elbows
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Method
- Transfer the canned tomatoes to a bowl. Use your hands to crush each tomato into small pieces, then set the bowl aside.
- Warm the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan. If including pancetta, cook it for about 2 minutes. Lower the heat and add the onion, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes, cooking for roughly 3 minutes until softened.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes with their juice, the chicken broth, kidney beans, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a very gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.
- Add the small pasta to the soup for the final 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, following the package timing. Season the soup with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot. Stir in the fresh parsley. Serve the soup, offering extra virgin olive oil for drizzling over each bowl.
Nutrition (per serving)
Sodium1196000 mg
Recipe details
CategoryEntree
Cuisineitalian
AuthorJ. Kenji López-Alt
