It’s Soup Season: Pasta e Fagioli.

It is officially fall, and you know what that means, soup season. As a request for the first soup, Miss Chelsea had put in for pasta e fagioli, which is her favorite soup. Pasta e fagioli translates to “pasta and beans,” and has many iterations of how it is prepared, and different pronunciations, especially from the northeast, where you hear everything from “pasta fasool” to “pasta fazul” and everything in-between. This will not be an “authentic” or “traditional” preparation due to the amount of time it would take with farm fresh ingredients, but will be the perfect, easy, and affordable soup you expect.

I will give you the easy way to make it in a Dutch oven/large pot, or the easier way of using an Instant Pot. I prefer using the instant pot pressure cooker for most soups, stocks, broths, or even rice. Let’s jump right into making some soup;

-What You Need-

• 1/2 Pound Bacon, or pancetta, cut into small pieces(you can omit these ingredients if you would like a vegetarian soup)

• 1-28 Ounce Can of Peeled Crushed Tomatoes

• 1-15.5 Ounce Can of Cannellini Beans

• 1-15.5 Ounce Can of Pinto Beans

• 2 Medium Onions, Diced

• 2-3 Medium Carrots, Diced

• 2 Cups of Ditalini Pasta(or whichever pasta you would like to use, but I prefer ditalini)

• 1-32 Ounce Box of Vegetable or Chicken Stock(I do like vegetable stock for mine)

• 3 Tbsp. Basil, Minced Fine(I would just eyeball equal amounts of the herbs, as much or little as needed)

• 3 Tbsp. Italian Parsley, Minced Fine

• 2 Tbsp. Oregano, Minced Fine

• 3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced Fine(Don’t you dare overpower your food with garlic, 3 cloves are fine you animal)

• Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to Taste.

• 8 Tbsp. Butter(or half of a block of Truly or Kerrygold butter)

• A Splash of Olive Oil

-Let’s Make Soup-

1) Make sure all your ingredients are prepared prior to getting the cooking vessel ready. Place your pot, or Dutch oven over medium heat with enough oil in it to coat the bottom. Alternatively, turn your Instant Pot on the Sauté function, with enough oil to coat the bottom.

2) Once the oil looks to be a bit shimmery, but not smoking, and add your carrots, and onions, moving them around in your pot for about 3-5 minutes.

3) Add your bacon or pancetta to the pan, and let render and get a little bit of color before adding your garlic to the pot. move everything around for a few minutes, but make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.

4) When the garlic starts to turn a slight golden brown and lends its beautiful aroma to your pot, it will be time to add your butter. Fully incorporate your butter, let it melt, and start to “boil.” Let the butter clarify over the medium heat with everything, stirring constantly.

5) As soon as your butter in the bottom of the pot is clear, Add your Stock, Followed by your crushed and peeled tomatoes, both beans, your herbs, a pinch of kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper, and mix well(You can choose to incorporate your pasta in with the Instant pot, but I would suggest making your pasta in a separate pot to the doneness of your liking and adding it after).

6) When all of your ingredients are fully incorporated, Either bring your your pot up to a low simmer, and let it simmer for at least 1 hour, or turn on the soup function on your Instant Pot, normal heat with low pressure for 20 minutes.

7) Once the timer on the Instant Pot goes off, you can choose to vent it manually or let it come down in pressure over time, but make sure you have no pressure in the pot before removing the lid.

8) This last step is the same for every method. When your soup is ready, taste it, and adjust your flavors with salt and pepper until they are to your liking. Add your soup and pasta to a bowl, with a little grated parmesan(if that’s your thing) and serve alongside some toasted Italian bread with butter. Enjoy.

*You can add a little water to your soup to make it a bit thinner if you would like, or leave it as thick as you want.

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as Myself and Chelsea love this recipe. Thank you for your continuing, and unwavering support, and As Always. Stay Happy. Stay Healthy. Stay Cooking.

Nobrega’s Kitchen LLC