Chilly winter weather calls for a hot and steamy soup like this Pasta Fagioli Soup. It’s a thick, hearty Italian soup made with pancetta, vegetables, pasta and beans in a tomato broth. Served with savoury Parmesan crisps and crusty bread it makes a hearty and satisfying meal.

Bring a little taste of Italy into your home with this authentic made from scratch pasta and bean soup. We call it Zuppa di Pasta e Fagioli in Italian. Zuppa means soup, pasta means pasta and fagioli means beans. I grew up eating this soup which was a winter staple in our house since it was an economical and delicious filling meal that fed a large family.

To serve with the soup I added homemade Parmesan crisps to my mother’s traditional recipe. The crisps are easy to make in the oven with just one ingredient – Parmesan cheese. They’re thin, lacy, crispy and perfectly salty and compliment the soup beautifully. I could snack on them all day!

The soup is made with pancetta, vegetables, seasonings, ditalini pasta and cannellini beans which all simmer in a tomato broth. It is in fact a soup, but is thick as a stew. Served with sprinkles of extra Parmesan cheese, homemade Parmesan crisps, and optional crusty bread to sop up the luscious tomato broth, it’s a complete meal in one. Wholesome and warm with savoury flavours, this thick soup will keep you feeling full and satisfied.

Ingredients needed for soup and Parmesan crisps

It’s hard to believe the combination of ingredients on this list can make such a hearty, warm and cozy soup that’s loaded with flavour.

Olive oil
Pancetta or bacon
Onion, celery & garlic
Tomatoes
Water
Oregano, bay leaf, kosher salt & black pepper
Ditalini pasta
Cannellini beans
Parsley
Parmesan cheese

How to make the soup

The flavour base starts with browning the pancetta and builds up with the addition of vegetables, tomatoes and beans. The soup delivers a lot of flavour even before it begins to bubble.

Gather the ingredients needed
In a Dutch oven add the oil and brown the pancetta
Add the onion, celery and garlic and sauté until tender
Add tomatoes, water, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper and simmer
Add the cannellini beans and heat until warm
Garnish the soup with parsley

How to make the Parmesan crisps

While the soup simmers make the Parmesan crisps. For best results, bake each batch separately. Be sure and let the crisps set on the baking sheet before you remove them!

Place tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese on parchment lined baking sheets and very lightly pat them down
Bake for 4 – 5 minutes in a 400 degrees F. preheated oven until golden and crisp, let set for 5 minutes before removing

Pancetta

Pancetta is a type of cured Italian bacon made of pork belly that’s curled into a tight roll, wrapped in a casing and salt-cured. It’s commonly used in Italian cuisine to add depth to soups and pastas. Find it at the grocery deli and ask for two ½” slices or three ¼” slices, which can be diced for this recipe. It’s ideal for this soup, but if you can’t find pancetta, regular bacon works just as well for this soup.

Ditalini pasta

Ditalini is an Italian pasta shape that resembles short tubes. Translated from Italian it means “small thimbles”. It’s typically used in rustic Italian soups since the tubes soak up the broth to create a thick soup. You can find ditalini pasta easily in any grocery store.

Cannellini beans

Cannellini beans are also known as white kidney beans, white beans or in Italian fagioli. They are a dietary staple used in many parts of the world and provide a complete protein. The beans are creamy white in colour with a fluffy texture, a mild flavour, are low in fat and retain their shape when cooked.

Can I make the soup and Parmesan crisps ahead?

The soup can be made a day ahead or early in the day and reheated when needed. As the soup sits longer the pasta plumps further and the soup thickens. Ideally the Parmesan crisps should be made a short while before serving for the optimum crispness. I definitely recommend you enjoy them while they’re as fresh as possible, but if necessary, they can be made a day ahead or early in the day. Once they’re cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

Can I freeze the soup and Parmesan crisps?

The soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it slowly in a pot over medium-low heat. You can freeze the Parmesan crisps in an airtight container and thaw them on a rack at room temperature. They’ll still be very flavourful but may not be quite as crispy after they’ve been defrosted.

If you’re looking for a meal that’s hearty, healthy and super comforting, this Italian Pasta Fagiolli Soup is for you! It’s a perfect way to warm up on a cold day.

Other thick and hearty soups

Pasta Fagioli Soup with Parmesan Crisps

A thick, hearty Italian soup made with pancetta, vegetables, pasta and beans in a tomato broth served with savoury Parmesan crisps and optional crusty bread.

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Pasta Fagioli Soup

2 teaspoons olive oil
150 g pancetta or bacon diced
1 cup onion diced
1 cup celery diced
2 garlic cloves minced
796 mL tin diced tomatoes
4 cups water
2 teaspoons oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup ditalini pasta tubular short pasta
540 mL tin cannellini beans rinsed and drained
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Crusty bread for serving optional

Parmesan Crisps

18 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a large 5 or 6 qt Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook while stirring occasionally until browned and crisped and reduce heat to medium if necessary. Drain off all but 2 teaspoons of fat.
Add onion, celery and garlic and sauté over medium-high heat until tender, about 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes, water, oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a light boil then add the pasta. Bring the soup back to a boil and once boiling cook uncovered for 8 minutes while stirring occasionally until the pasta is al dente. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes until the pasta is plump.
Stir in the cannellini beans, cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes until the beans are warmed through.
Meanwhile, while the soup simmers, make the Parmesan crisps. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare 3 large baking sheets by lining with parchment paper.
To make 18 Parmesan crisps, mound tablespoons of grated Parmesan on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them out 2” or more (6 per baking sheet). Gently pat them down.
Bake one sheet at a time for 4 – 5 minutes until melted and golden-brown. Keep an eye on them as they can burn quickly. Let them set for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing.
Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with parsley, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve with Parmesan crisps and crusty bread, if desired.