Plant-Based Pasta Fagioli
This comforting pasta and bean soup offers a deeply satisfying, full-bodied flavor profile based on Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli. It starts with a rich, savory tomato base that is meticulously seasoned to create an authentic Italian taste with a medley of classic aromatics, onions, carrots, and celery that are simmered to sweet perfection. Then we incorporate small pasta shapes and a beneficial mix of two distinct bean varieties: creamy cannellini and robust red kidney beans. This dish is naturally plant-based, making it a healthy, fiber-rich, and affordable option. It is quick and easy to prepare and results in a cozy, nourishing meal.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 carrots diced
- 15 ounces kidney beans 1 can
- 15 ounces cannellini beans 1 can
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes 1 can
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp basil dried
- ½ tsp thyme dried
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ cups ditalini pasta noodles or macaroni noodles
- 2 cups spinach frozen
- 1 cup Butler Soy Curls optional, check notes if you use them
- 1 tbsp tamari low sodium
- ½ tsp cracked pepper
- 1 – 2 liters vegetable broth 1 liter if you like it thick, 2 if you like it brothy like soup
Instructions
- Sauté onions and celery for a few minutes.
- Add garlic and tomato paste and cook for about a minute.
- Add remaining ingredients except for the spinach, macaroni, tamari and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the spinach, macaroni, tamari and pepper and cook until the macaroni is soft.
Notes
If you are using the Butler Soy Curls you will have to use the additional liter of vegetable broth because the Soy Curls soak up all of the broth and makes it too thick.
Nutrition
Calories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 13gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 691mgPotassium: 732mgFiber: 10gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3701IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 5mg
I love Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli, can’t wait to make your plant-based version!
Thank you, Jill! This looks soooo delicious! I’m making it today. An interesting glitch happens when I go to the print page: The recipe lists “1 tsp oregano, dried” twice and leaves off the “1 tsp basil, dried.” (Must be those tech gremlins ;))
Thank you for letting me know Dori =). It was my mistake. Hope you like it
OH MY! I am eager to try this out! And, how have I been plant-based since 2018 and never heard of Butler Soy Curls? So I got a TWO for one with this recipe, because I clicked that link right away for another new thing to try. Thanks for all you do!
I made this for dinner tonight. I’d give 10 stars if I could…so delicious and so incredibly easy to make. I already had all the ingredients in my cupboard except for cannelini beans but I substituted black beans and it was amazing. Thanks for another great recipe, Jill and Jeffrey.
Just had this for dinner and it’s definitely a keeper! I did add the soy curls. It’s even better than Olive Garden! Thank you.
Hi Jill – do you think this can be made in the slow cooker? I’m wondering if the pasta will cook well. Thanks!
It will work but I would probably still sauté the onions, celery and garlic first. The flavor is much better when you do that. I think the pasta will cook fine but possibly overcook if you aren’t careful.
Can it be made in the instant pot?
It can. I would still sauté the onions and celery first. Then pressure cook for 10 minutes.
Thank you!
Can I freeze this? It looks so easy and delicious! I am
Making shopping list! Thx
Honestly Mary, I’m not sure. I haven’t tried freezing it. My guess is that it would do just fine. The pasta noodles will probably be a bit softer and break apart easily but that doesn’t really matter in this recipe.
This is easy and tastes great! My omnivore husband asked me to put this in the regular rotation.
Fantastic!
I usually live your recipes but this was a miss for me. Not much flavor