Pasta e Fagioli
Last week was smoothie week, so of course that means I am going to zag a little and bring you soup, glorious, soup!
Pasta e Fagioli (sometimes just called pasta fagioli and pronounced thusly) is a pasta and bean soup, a little less famous than its cousin, minestrone. Pasta fagioli traditionally has meat (ground beef or sausage is typical), beans and pasta and is reminiscent of minestrone with its tomato-y broth, beans and noodles, but minestrone traditionally has more veggies and no meat.
This is a filling dish, easily a main course, especially if you include some bread and a salad. It is aromatic, full of robust, warming Mediterranean flavors and quite hearty. If plant meats aren’t your thing, feel free to substitute the meaty part with lentils. I’d think small lentils, like French lentils, that retain their shape and don’t burst would work best here.
This is a long recipe in terms of ingredients but comes together quite fast.
8-ounces small pasta, like elbow, uncooked
10-ounces vegan sausage or ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1½ tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried basil
½ tablespoon oregano
2 teaspoons thyme
1 - 2 teaspoons crushed pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
31-ounces cannellini beans, kidney beans or cooked beans of preference, drained and rinsed (a combination also works fine)
6 cups vegan broth (I used chicken-style vegan broth)
15-ounces tomato sauce
15-ounces can diced tomatoes (can sub same amount of more tomato sauce)
2 bay leaves
⅓ cup vegan parmesan, plus more for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
Italian or curly parsley, minced, for serving
Start a medium pot with water for cooking the pasta and cook to al dente according to instructions.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat for a minute. Add your vegan ground beef or sausages. Cook, stirring often for five minutes. If you used the sausage option, break it up with your spatula as you go.
Add the onion, carrots and celery; saute for a minute. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for six minutes. Add the beans, stir to coat with the veggies and herbs, then add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer for ten minutes.
When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the soup pot along with the parmesan and nutritional yeast. Cook for a few minutes, until cooked through.
Serve with additional parmesan on top along with parsley. Great with a slice or two of toasted rustic bread.
Last week was smoothie week, so of course that means I am going to zag a little and bring you soup, glorious, soup!
Pasta e Fagioli (sometimes just called pasta fagioli and pronounced thusly) is a pasta and bean soup, a little less famous than its cousin, minestrone. Pasta fagioli traditionally has meat (ground beef or sausage is typical), beans and pasta and is reminiscent of minestrone with its tomato-y broth, beans and noodles, but minestrone traditionally has more veggies and no meat.
This is a filling dish, easily a main course, especially if you include some bread and a salad. It is aromatic, full of robust, warming Mediterranean flavors and quite hearty. If plant meats aren’t your thing, feel free to substitute the meaty part with lentils. I’d think small lentils, like French lentils, that retain their shape and don’t burst would work best here.
This is a long recipe in terms of ingredients but comes together quite fast.
8-ounces small pasta, like elbow, uncooked
10-ounces vegan sausage or ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1½ tablespoons garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried basil
½ tablespoon oregano
2 teaspoons thyme
1 - 2 teaspoons crushed pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
31-ounces cannellini beans, kidney beans or cooked beans of preference, drained and rinsed (a combination also works fine)
6 cups vegan broth (I used chicken-style vegan broth)
15-ounces tomato sauce
15-ounces can diced tomatoes (can sub same amount of more tomato sauce)
2 bay leaves
⅓ cup vegan parmesan, plus more for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
Italian or curly parsley, minced, for serving
Start a medium pot with water for cooking the pasta and cook to al dente according to instructions.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat for a minute. Add your vegan ground beef or sausages. Cook, stirring often for five minutes. If you used the sausage option, break it up with your spatula as you go.
Add the onion, carrots and celery; saute for a minute. Add the garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for six minutes. Add the beans, stir to coat with the veggies and herbs, then add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer for ten minutes.
When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the soup pot along with the parmesan and nutritional yeast. Cook for a few minutes, until cooked through.
Serve with additional parmesan on top along with parsley. Great with a slice or two of toasted rustic bread.
Vegan, Recipe, Soup, Pasta e Fagioli, Pasta, Beans, Cannellini Beans, Kidney Beans