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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Soups, Salads & Pasta / traditional pasta e fagioli {Italian bean pasta}

    traditional pasta e fagioli {Italian bean pasta}

    Sep 4, 2019 · 13 Comments

    This classic Pasta e Fagioli is the ultimate simple comfort food! Tender beans, noodles, and fresh veggies come together for a filling soup-pasta hybrid.

    bowl of pasta e fagioli

    Happy Wednesday, friends! I am so excited to be sharing this recipe for Traditional Pasta e Fagioli with y'all. This post today has a special theme, and it's not just a silly food holiday as usual! September is actually Hunger Action Month, a time to bring awareness to how incredibly prevalent food insecurity is. According to the US Department of Agriculture, 1 in 8 Americans were food insecure in 2017. That’s 40 million people – more than 12 million of which are children – with a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. I was absolutely shocked when I read the numbers. I know I am so very lucky to have enough ~disposable~ income to be able to experiment with recipes and make extravagant meals from time to time, but it is so sobering to realize that so many people barely have enough to get a single, simple meal on the table.

    ingredients for pasta e fagioli

    This whole event was organized by Kate of Kate's Recipe Box, so a huge thank you to her for bringing some awareness to his very important cause! The average daily allotment for SNAP (essentially "food stamps") is $4.15 per person. This event is meant to acknowledge the difficulty of feeding a family on a SNAP budget and highlight organizations that help reduce hunger in our communities. The challenge is to create a meal  to feed 4 people while spending $5.50 or less (total, not per person). A family of 4 receives roughly $16.60/day - which split evenly comes out to $5.50 per meal. If that is not a big reality check, I don't know what is. How much do you spend on your groceries? I know I spend much more than this because trying to budget and pinch pennies for this recipe was a big challenge. I have so much respect for those who have to do this each and every month!

    pot of raw ingredients for pasta e fagioli

    When brainstorming for this event, I figured that the easiest and cheapest way to feed a crowd is usually with pasta, and being vegan, well, beans were a must! Not my beloved canned beans, but dry beans, which are much more budget friendly. I actually consulted my mamma on how to make pasta e fagioli because I had never made it before! She told me just how my bisnonna (great-grandmother) used to make it back in the day, so you know this recipe is authentic! She did give me some tips and tricks to make it tastier if the budget allows, as well. I made the recipe and ended up with like... 10-12 servings! LOL. So I am halving the recipe to better fit the "dinner for 4" theme, and so you don't have to deal with leftovers for days and days and dayyysss like we did! Not that leftovers are a bad thing, but you can eat the same thing for only so many days before you get sick of it!

    two bowls of pasta e fagioli

    So, what is pasta e fagioli? Very simple - it literally translates to "pasta and beans"! Quite self explanatory 🙂 Here is my ingredient/receipt breakdown for you... I originally used more or less ONE of everything for this giant batch, so by halving it, you also half the cost. You then have ingredients to make it again another time!

    Here are my pasta e fagioli cost calculations -

    • 1 lb box of pasta @ $1 - you only need ½ of the box for this recipe, so the cost is $0.50
    • 1 lb bag of small red beans @ $1.49 - using ½, cost is $0.75
    • 1 small onion @$0.53 - using ½ = $0.27
    • Celery bunch @ $1.49/each (about 1.5lbs) - I used 2 stalks, which weighed 3.5oz = $0.22
    • Roma tomatoes @ $0.99/lb - 1 tomato weighed 3.8oz = $0.24
    • Garlic @ $0.50/head - I used 3-4 cloves, so guesstimating around $0.15
    • 1 box of bay leaves (Kroger brand) @ 2.99 - using 1 leaf is maybe $0.05-0.10??
    • Package of 6 vegetable bouillon cubes @ $0.99 - 1 cube = $0.17
    • Salt & pepper - didn't add in to the cost as I am assuming everyone already has these. If it needs to be purchased, a twin pack S&P is $1.67
    • Bonus ingredient - olive oil! A drizzle of olive oil before serving is the perfect finishing touch. A 16.9 oz bottle of Kroger brand EVOO will set you back $3.99. The cost per tablespoon will be $0.12.
    • Bonus ingredient two - a bunch of fresh parsley, which costs $0.79/bundle. Fresh herbs do make a big difference if you have the wiggle room in your budget! Using some fresh leaves and stems in this recipe will set you back around $0.20.

    SO - grand total cost for four servings of pasta e fagioli is $2.60!! If you add in 2 tablespoon of olive oil (½ tablespoon drizzled on each bowl), then the cost goes up to $2.84. So overall it seems like a great win!! However, do consider that if someone is having to buy all these things at the store, then the bill is $15.64. I did include the S&P and olive oil in this total if we are assuming someone has absolutely nothing to start. Do a lot of these ingredients have leftovers that can then be used in other recipes? Yes. But still! It's a humbling reality check.

    bowls of pasta e fagioli with cooking pot

    close up of a bowl of pasta e fagioli

    All of the meals below were made with a budget of $5.50 – the average amount a family of four would have for a meal on a SNAP budget. We’re sharing these recipes today to show you how far these dollars go – or don’t go – and to encourage you to donate to organizations addressing hunger issues. Feeding America and local food banks are the boots on the ground helping feed your neighbors daily.

    As a group, we’re supporting Feeding America’s efforts to end hunger. We are collecting donations for Feeding America here: http://help.feedingamerica.org/goto/FoodBloggers

    Will you forgo your morning coffee stop and donate $5 to help feed the needy instead? There are also many great local organizations in DFW fighting hunger too, including North Texas Food Bank, Hunger Busters, Dallas Resource Center Food Pantry, and Tarrant Area Food Bank.

    Hunger Action Month Recipes

    • Kielbasa and Vegetable Skillet from Kate's Recipe Box
    • Italian Sausage Alfredo Tortellini from Intelligent Domestications
    • Budget Beef Vegetable Lo Mein from Palatable Pastime
    • Veggie Burrito Bowls from Simple and Savory
    • Cheesy Black Bean Frittatas from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
    • Creamy Spinach & Black Bean Falutas from Savory Moments
    • Mindful Shopping, Cooking Frugally, and Helping Others from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
    • Feed a Family of Four for One Day in under $16 from A Day in the Life on the Farm
    • Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Bean Pasta) from The Baking Fairy
    • Sausage Green Bean Alfredo from Cookaholic Wife
    • Sheet Pan Crustless Quiche from Frugal & Fit
    • Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet with Buttered Rice from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
    • Chicken Caesar Pasta from Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids
    • Stove-Top Chicken Noodle Soup from Blogghetti
    • Pepper Jack Quiche with a Potato Crust from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
    • Broccoli Mac Kielbasa Casserole from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
    • Chicken and Veggie Goulash by The Foodette & Family

    a spoonful of pasta and beans

    I hope you guys found this post interesting!! I find it so important to raise awareness to issues like this, especially as someone who works with kids every day. A lot of the children I see are insured under Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP, so it's probably not a stretch to imagine that at least some are also on SNAP. Everyone deserves warm, delicious meals to fill their bellies!!

    Here are some of my other favorite cheap recipes!

    •  Spaghetti Aglio Olio & Peperoncino
    • Creamy Vegan Kale & Chickpea Spaghetti
    • French Bread Pizza
    • Creamy Black Bean Soup
    • Vegan Roasted Ratatouille Sheetpan Meal
    • BBQ Chickpea Tacos
    • Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

    5.0 from 1 reviews
    traditional pasta e fagioli {Italian bean pasta}
     
    Save Print
    Prep time
    12 hours
    Cook time
    45 mins
    Total time
    12 hours 45 mins
     
    This classic Pasta e Fagioli is the ultimate simple comfort food! Tender beans, noodles, and fresh veggies come together for a filling soup-pasta hybrid.
    Author: Valentina | The Baking Fairy
    Recipe type: Soup
    Cuisine: Italian
    Serves: 4
    Ingredients
    • ½ lb dried small red beans
    • ½ lb small pasta (I used ditalini)
    • 2 stalks of celery, chopped (about ¼ cup)
    • ½ white onion, diced (about ⅓ cup)
    • 1 roma tomato, diced
    • 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
    • 2-3 fresh parsley stems
    • 1 vegetable bouillon
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 bay leaf (optional)
    • to serve - olive oil and fresh parsley leaves
    Instructions
    1. First, you must soak your dry beans. Place your small red beans in a large bowl, and completely cover with water + 1-2 extra inches. Set aside overnight so they can rehydrate.
    2. The next day, your beans are ready to use! Dump the water out, and rinse the beans well.
    3. Add the beans to a large cooking pot, and mix in the diced celery, onion, tomato, and garlic.
    4. Cover all ingredients with water, and heat over medium until water starts to boil.
    5. Place the lid on the pot, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for 40-45 minutes, until beans are soft.
    6. At this point, add in the salt, pepper, and vegetable bouillon (mama says to add at this point to avoid having tough beans) to taste.
    7. Add in the pasta (+ any extra water if needed), and cook according to package directions. Add a little more salt if necessary!
    8. Divide the pasta e fagioli into 4 bowls, and top with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh parsley leaves, and an extra crack of black pepper. Enjoy!
    3.5.3251

    traditional pasta e fagioli {Italian bean pasta} | The Baking Fairy #HungerActionMonth

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Wendy Klik says

      September 04, 2019 at 8:42 am

      Thanks for this inspiration for this meal. We often have dried beans on hand for distribution at the pantry. We always have pasta and canned broth of some sort. I will have to substitute canned tomatoes unless our parishioners are sharing garden bounty this fall and I will just have to hope they have some seasonings in their cupboards. I will be sharing an adaptation of this recipe along with ingredients in upcoming distributions.

      Reply
      • valentina says

        September 04, 2019 at 11:42 am

        Thank you Wendy! This would definitely be good with just a small can of chopped or diced tomatoes instead of the fresh. The bay leaf and parsley can be omitted for cost and it is still tasty even with just the veggie bouillon 🙂

        Reply
    2. Amy (Savory Moments) says

      September 04, 2019 at 2:50 pm

      This is a terrific hearty and budget-friendly meal! I love that it makes so much, too -- perfect for lunches for a few days.

      Reply
    3. Lisa Kerhin says

      September 04, 2019 at 3:22 pm

      First, great use of the items for the money! Second, I love your authentic and family recipe! This is one of my favorites. I typically have to add more "broth" because my family doesn't understand this is a pasta dish made into a soup lol. The Italian in me just shakes her head.

      Reply
    4. Hezzi-D says

      September 04, 2019 at 3:24 pm

      I like that you added the total of all ingredients purchased in addition to just the portions you used. This pasta sounds filling and tasty.

      Reply
    5. Colleen Delawder says

      September 04, 2019 at 6:48 pm

      Wow! That’s a whole lotta leftovers! Thank goodness it looks and tastes so good!!!

      Reply
    6. Shirley Wood says

      September 04, 2019 at 9:27 pm

      When we decide to cut back on our grocery budget occasionally, I always resort to dried peas and beans because they are so cheap. I grew up eating them and learned to cook with them. Hoppin' John is family favorite using dried black eye peas. Your recipe sounds yummy!

      Reply
    7. Val - Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids says

      September 04, 2019 at 11:18 pm

      This looks like a delicious, hearty, comfort dish!

      Reply
    8. Sue Lau says

      September 05, 2019 at 7:12 pm

      Past and beans is such comfort food- I always enjoyed something like chili mac, which can also be done vegan with veg crumbles. The texture of the pasta and beans really complements each other!

      Reply
    9. Anne Lawton says

      September 07, 2019 at 4:18 pm

      I have not made pasta fagioli in a long time, I'm going to give this a try soon!

      Reply
    10. Christie says

      September 09, 2019 at 8:00 pm

      I always forget about dried beans. They're always budget friend. AND you can soak them then freeze them for easy meals, too. This looks fabulous. I'd dive into a bowl of that in a heartbeat!

      Reply
    11. JACQUELYN says

      March 19, 2020 at 12:37 pm

      This looks delicious. I am going to try making it like a "Suddenly Salad" for the summer. Cooking the beans & pasta & adding all the raw veggies. Instead of tomatoes maybe a cup of salsa. . .

      Reply

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    Hi! My name is Valentina and I'm The Baking Fairy! Pediatric physician assistant by day and food blogger extraordinaire by night. Full-blooded Italian, but I've lived in Texas for most of my life. I love margaritas, brownies, avocados, and my mamma's homemade pizza. Married to my high school sweetheart (who is ALSO a pediatrician). My mission is to make plant-based cooking fun and delicious, one recipe at a time. I want to show people that vegan food is not just for vegans!

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