Pasta e fagioli literally means “pasta and beans,” and this comforting Italian soup is exactly what the name promises: a hearty bowl of tender beans, small pasta and deeply savoury broth. This vegetarian pasta e fagioli is inspired by the rustic Tuscan bean soup traditionally made with cannellini beans, pasta, greens and a slow-simmered base. While classic versions often include pancetta or a ham hock, this meat-free version builds plenty of depth with browned vegetables, tomatoes, white wine, soy sauce and an optional parmesan rind.
The result is rich, warming and satisfying without feeling heavy. Creamy cannellini beans give the soup body, kale adds colour and texture, and a little lemon zest at the end brightens everything beautifully. It is the kind of vegetarian soup that feels perfect on a cold day, especially when served with crusty bread or a simple green salad.
How to Make Pasta e Fagioli without Meat
The key to a flavourful vegetarian pasta e fagioli is taking the time to create a strong base. Like many Italian soups and stews, this recipe starts with a soffritto: a mixture of onion, carrot and celery cooked slowly in olive oil. These vegetables may seem simple, but when they are finely chopped and allowed to soften and brown, they create a savoury foundation that makes the finished soup taste layered and complex.
For the best texture, chop the onion, carrot and celery very finely. You do not want large pieces of carrot or celery standing out in the final bowl. Their role is to melt into the soup and provide sweetness, aroma and depth. A food processor can help speed up this step, as long as the vegetables are chopped finely rather than puréed.
Heat a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or another large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the finely diced onion, carrot and celery with a generous pinch of salt. Cook the vegetables, stirring often, until they are very soft, lightly browned and beginning to leave browned bits on the bottom of the pan. This usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes. If the vegetables start to brown too quickly, add a splash of water to slow the cooking and prevent burning.
Once the soffritto is deeply softened, add minced garlic, chili flakes and tomato paste. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste begins to darken and stick to the bottom of the pot. This short step concentrates the tomato flavour and adds another layer of richness to the soup.
Next, deglaze the pan with dry white wine. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or another dry white wine works well. Pour it into the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer until the alcohol aroma has cooked off and most of the liquid has evaporated. If you prefer not to cook with wine, you can skip it and add a little lemon juice at the end of cooking to bring in the acidity the wine would have provided.
A small amount of soy sauce may seem unusual in an Italian-inspired soup, but it is a useful way to enhance savoury flavour in a vegetarian recipe. It does not make the soup taste like soy sauce; instead, it adds depth and helps compensate for the absence of pancetta or ham.
Add a can of whole peeled tomatoes, crushing them by hand before they go into the pot. Whole tomatoes tend to give the soup a pleasant texture and a fresh, rounded tomato flavour. Stir well and let the tomato mixture cook until thickened and reduced. You should be able to drag a spoon through the bottom of the pot and briefly see a clear trail.
Now add the drained cannellini beans, vegetable stock, bay leaves and the optional parmesan rind. The parmesan rind is not essential, but it gives the broth a savoury, rounded flavour as it simmers. Use a potato masher to gently mash about one-third of the beans in the pot. This thickens the soup naturally and gives it a creamy texture without adding cream.
Bring the soup to a boil, then add the pasta and chopped kale. Ditalini is a traditional choice for pasta e fagioli, but macaroni, small shells or another small pasta shape will also work. Simmer, stirring frequently so the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is al dente and the kale is tender. This usually takes about 10 minutes, depending on the pasta shape.
To finish the soup, remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind. Turn off the heat, then stir in chopped parsley and lemon zest. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. If you skipped the wine, add the juice of half a lemon at this stage to balance the soup’s richness.
Ladle the vegetarian pasta e fagioli into bowls and garnish with extra parsley, grated parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired. Serve it hot and enjoy the creamy beans, tender pasta, rich tomato broth and hearty greens in every spoonful.
Vegetarian Pasta e Fagioli: Tuscan Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, very finely diced
- 1 large carrot, very finely diced
- 1 rib celery, very finely diced
- ¼ tsp chili flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 150 ml dry white wine (see note 1)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 (400g/14oz) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 2 (400g/14oz) cans cannellini beans, drained
- 1 ½ litres vegetable stock
- 1 parmesan cheese rind, optional
- 2 bay leaves, optional
- 125 g small pasta, such as ditalini, macaroni or small shells
- 500 g kale, stripped from ribs and roughly chopped
- 10 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Grated parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
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Place a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are very soft, lightly browned and beginning to leave fond on the bottom of the pot, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add a splash of water if the vegetables brown too quickly.
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Add the chili flakes, garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and the tomato paste starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.
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Pour in the white wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until the alcohol smell has gone and the wine has almost fully reduced, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce.
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Add the tomatoes and their juices. Stir well and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened and reduced, about 10 minutes.
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Add the cannellini beans, vegetable stock, parmesan rind if using, bay leaves and a few generous pinches of salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
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Use a potato masher to mash about one-third of the beans directly in the pot. Add the pasta and kale, then stir. Simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is al dente and the kale is tender, about 10 minutes.
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Turn off the heat. Remove the parmesan rind and bay leaves. Stir in the parsley and lemon zest, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
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Serve hot, topped with grated parmesan, extra parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil if desired.
Notes
- Pinot Grigio, Semillon or Sauvignon Blanc are good choices, but any dry white wine can be used. If you skip the wine, add the juice of half a lemon with the lemon zest at the end for balance.
- If making the soup ahead to freeze, stop after mashing the beans. Defrost and reheat the soup later, then add the kale and pasta and continue with the final steps before serving.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 78g
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Protein: 22g
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Fat: 9g
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Fiber: 19g
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This vegetarian Tuscan bean and pasta soup is hearty, rustic and deeply flavourful. With creamy cannellini beans, tender pasta, kale and a rich tomato broth, it delivers all the comfort of a classic pasta e fagioli without the meat.
If you are looking for a satisfying pasta, kale and white bean soup, this vegetarian pasta e fagioli is a warming recipe worth making again and again.
