I'm at the point now where I don't even know what to call pasta fagioli anymore. Do I pronounce it correctly, like it was meant to be in Italian, or do I say it like my family says it, Pasta Fazool? I go back and forth between the two right now. Either way, pasta fagioli with spinach is a healthy and nutritious soup that I love to have in the house.
Soup is one of my favorite things to have in the house for several reasons.
I'm always hungry. The soup actually fills me up as a snack or when I add it to my lunch. Especially this soup with the ditalini.
My son loves it. Pasta fagioli with spinach is the only way on planet earth that he would ever put spinach in his mouth. It's not like I'm trying to hide it in there either. Every time he finishes a bowl he points at it for more. The kid loves soup.
It is the best leftover food. Soup is one of those foods that just gets better and better as it sits in the fridge and marinates in its own broth.
What ingredients you'll need
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes
- 1 handful basil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1½ cups ditalini
- 2½ quarts vegetable broth
- 1 can white northern beans
- 1 parmesan rind
- 1 bag spinach, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
It is a large assortment of ingredients but it makes a huge pot of pasta fagioli. Half the recipe if you don't want leftovers. I always freeze a big Ziploc bag filled with soup for later.
How to make pasta fagioli with spinach
Pasta Fagioli is an easy soup to make. It just requires a little patience. Take your time going through the steps and don't rush anything. You'll end up with a hearty soup that you'll love.
Start with the vegetables
The vegetables are the base of the soup. We always start there. In a big dutch oven or sauce pot, add the olive oil and bring it to medium-high heat. Stir in the carrots, celery, and onions and saute for about 10 minutes until they are softened. Add some salt and pepper at some point during this process. The vegetables provide flavor to your soup and should be seasoned too.
Stir in the garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Make a well in the vegetables where you can place the tomato paste. Let it caramelize in the pot for 3 minutes before stirring it into the vegetables. Then stir it throughout the vegetables.
Tomato Base
Pasta Fagioli has a tomato base. Hand crush the can of tomatoes. I like a bit of chunkiness to the tomatoes in the soup. If you prefer it to be smooth, use an emersion blender to blend them before pouring them into the vegetables. Pour them into the vegetables and bring them to a boil. Stir in half of the basil and salt and stir well.
Adding the stock and seasonings
Pour in all of the stock, and add the oregano, bay leaves, and parmesan rind. Stir everything together and bring it to a boil. Then return the soup to a simmer. Add in the northern beans and again return to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the ditalini and simmer for another 15 minutes until the pasta has softened. Then stir in the spinach. Take off the heat and cover the pot and let the spinach wilt for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind. Stir in the rest of the basil
Serve the pasta fagioli with spinach with freshly grated parmesan.
What should I serve with pasta fagioli?
This dish can stand on its own or be served with lunch or dinner. It goes great with a salad or chicken cutlets. I like to have pasta fagioli as a snack before lunch. Just a small bowl to warm me up before the meal.
Can I freeze pasta fagioli?
Yes, absolutely! I make this recipe with freezing in mind. We keep half in the fridge and half in the freezer. Wait until the soup cools and then transfer it to a Ziploc bag. I like to place it on an ice pack for 15 minutes or so before transferring it to the freezer.
Can I make any substitutions?
Of course! Substitute, add, and delete as you see fit. Plenty of people will be mad that I added spinach to an *authentic* dish, but anyway that we can add nutrition to our family's food is good in my opinion. Whatever kind of stock you want to use is fine. You can use already crushed tomatoes instead of whole tomatoes if you prefer. Substitute any small macaroni for the ditalini. You can switch the northern beans for whatever beans you have in your cabinet. Except for black beans. Blegh.
If you love this recipe, please leave a review below! It's so helpful for us! Follow us @vindelgiudice on Instagram for more cooking content!
If you're looking for more hearty soups to make try these:
📖 Recipe
Pasta Fagioli with Spinach
Ingredients
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 28 oz can whole plum tomatoes
- 1 handful basil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1½ cups ditalini
- 2½ quarts vegetable broth
- 1 can white northern beans
- 1 parmesan rind
- 1 bag spinach, chopped
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Instructions
- In a large sauce pot or dutch oven, add olive oil and bring to medium heat. Stir in carrots, celery, and onion. Add salt and pepper to the mixture for taste. Saute until soft and onions are translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Then add in garlic and saute until fragrant. Make a small well in the vegetables and add tomato paste. Carmelize for 2 minutes.
- Hand crush the whole plum tomatoes, and then add them in to the vegetables. Stir in half of the basil. Bring the tomatoes to a boil and then pour in the vegetable stock. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and then lower it to a simmer. Add oregano, bay leaves, parmesan rind, and beans. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes stir in the ditalini and simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add spinach and cover until wilted and then stir well. Stir in the rest of the basil and serve with fresh parmesan.
Karen B
The first time I've ever made pasta fazoli and it is absolutely amazing and I think it's better than Olive gardens
Vinny and Marisa
Better than the OG!