Last Updated on April 15, 2022 by Karen
Put a seasonal spin on classic Pasta Fagioli with the help of fresh summer vegetables!
You know those foods you could just eat all year long? Soup is definitely on that list for me!
Even though the temperatures are soaring high, going to work feels like stepping outside on a frigid mid-February day. It seems to be a common complaint among many of my friends who work in offices, too! Since I can’t do anything about the air conditioner being on full blast, I’m mostly keeping warm by sipping on hot beverages and getting bundled up in my jacket and scarves with a thick shawl draped over my lap. It’s no surprise that I have soup on my mind all day long.
There is just something so satisfying about soups. This Garden Vegetables Pasta Fagioli has all of the soothing, comforting qualities of a pasta and beans soup, and it’s also brimming with the fresh tastes of summer vegetables. To take advantage of summer’s bounty, I picked up whatever looked fresh at the farmer’s market, but you can feel free to substitute with vegetables that you like and are in season. It’s simple, rustic, and so healthy. I took a look at the nutrition facts for the canned version, and the sodium content is quite alarming — 800 mg per one cup serving, and that’s 33% of your daily needs!
The best part is that it takes only about thirty minutes to whip up a batch of this homemade version. It is an easy one-pot meal with minimal effort -– simply chop up all ingredients, throw them into a large pot, and let ’em simmer away. Not to mention, they always make the best leftovers!
To store the leftovers and keep the pasta from getting mushy, I’d cook the pasta until al dente, drain, and then layer them over the soup in a microwavable container. As I reheat, I’d mix the pasta into the soup as the liquid portion defrosts.
Garden Vegetable Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup small pasta
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- 3 slices pancetta diced
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 6 Roma tomatoes peeled, seeded, diced
- 1 medium zucchini or yellow squash diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 14- oz cans cannellini beans
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large soup pot, heat oil and cook pancetta until browned, about 3 minutes. Add onions, carrots, tomatoes, and zucchini, and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomato paste, chicken broth, beans, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove and discard bay leaf. Add cooked pasta and spinach, and simmer for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil.
