This authentic pasta fagioli recipe is made with cannelini beans in a dutch oven. Serve this Italian comfort food with crusty bread for one of the best soup recipes that the whole family will love!
Puree one of the cans of beans with 1 cup of chicken broth or stock in a blender until smooth. For more texture, only pulse shortly.
Drain and rinse the other two cans of beans and set them aside.
Heat a dutch oven or large pot with the olive oil over medium heat on the stove top.
Add the diced pancetta and saute for 3-5 minutes until the pieces are browned and lightly crispy.
Add the garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes and saute for an additional minute.
Carefully add in the reserved bean puree, whole beans, remaining chicken broth and tomatoes and stir to combine.
Increase the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to a boil.
Stir in the shell pasta and let it cook, while stirring occasionally for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
Serve the soup hot topped with the pecorino romano cheese, if desired.
Notes
Pasta - Use small shells, elbow macaroni, or ditalini pasta.
Beans - Use cannellini beans, navy beans, or borlotti beans.
Pancetta - Use prosciutto or bacon instead of pancetta.
Tomatoes - Use crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes in place of whole tomatoes.
White - Omit the tomatoes and add an additional cup of chicken broth.
Vegetarian - Omit the pancetta and use vegetable stock or broth.
Spinach - Stir in a large handful of fresh baby spinach at the end.
Make Ahead - Make this recipe up to 3 days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator.
Leftovers - Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop or in the microwave with extra broth if needed.