Sausage Pasta Fazool (Pasta e Fagioli)
Sausage pasta fazool is an Italian-American version of the classic Italian soup we know and love. Made with the usual suspects—pasta, beans, and vegetables—this version contains sweet Italian sausage and navy beans along with the more traditional (in the U.S.) cannellini beans. It's easy, comforting, and cooks in about 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage ground
- ½ yellow onion peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt divided (¼ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon) (Note 1)
- Ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with liquid (Note 2)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 14.5-ounce can cannellini beans drained and rinsed (Note 3)
- 1 14.5-ounce can navy beans drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup ditalini or other short pasta
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach tightly packed
- Handful Italian flat-leaf parsley minced
- Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other pot over medium heat. Add the ground sausage and cook it until it’s no longer visibly pink but still not fully cooked through, 4-5 minutes. If it sticks together, break it up with a wooden spoon. Transfer the sausage to a plate.
- Add the onion, celery, carrot, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper to the pot and cook everything until it softens nicely. Add the garlic during the last minute of cooking. Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add the garlic powder and red pepper flakes, and stir them quickly into the pot to help them bloom. Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaf, and the other ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook the diced tomatoes for about 2 minutes to help them soften.
- Pour in the chicken stock and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, then use an immersion blender to blend some of the beans. You can also remove about 2 cups of the soup, pour them into a blender, and pulse until smooth before returning it to the pot.
- Return the sausage to the pot and add the pasta; simmer the pasta, uncovered, until al dente, about 10 minutes. The sausage will finish cooking during this time.
- Just before the pasta is fully cooked, stir in the spinach to wilt it. Taste for salt. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the minced parsley and Pecorino. Enjoy!
Notes
Note 1: The amount of salt may seem a little low, but the sausage is salty. You can always add more after tasting.
Note 2: If using diced tomatoes instead of petite diced tomatoes, use a flat-edged wooden spoon to break them up and soften them. You can also use a potato masher.
Note 3: Some canned beans contain a slimy texture, so I suggest rinsing them here. You'll still get the starchy component from the pasta and a partial purée of the beans.
General Notes:
- Ensure you don't cover the pot while the soup cooks, which will help it thicken.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 630mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4064IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!