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Italian Pasta e Fagioli Soup ~ ~ Pasta and Bean Soup

The perfect comfort soup recipe of humble pasta and beans with all of the secrets of authentic Italian family recipes! No recipe ‘out there’ can stack up next to this recipe in terms of deliciousness! Trust me on this! ~ ~ this is the REAL DEAL from Modena, Italy! Warm up with this vegetarian minestrone soup!   A classic soup that is so easy to make and tastes amazing. Recipe yields approximately 8 bowls of soup.
Course: Soups
Servings: 8 - 10 servings
Author: Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina

Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 4 large garlic cloves minced
  • 5 stalks of celery PLUS the leaves, chopped
  • optional 2 - 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 big bunch of Italian parsley cleaned, de-stemmed, and chopped fine
  • 4 oz. diced Italian pancetta optional
  • 2 12- oz. cans tomato Paste or 3 - 4 of the smaller cans
  • Double the amount of water to tomato paste continue to add water until a 'soupy' broth consistency is achieved.
  • 3 12- oz. cans of dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed well
  • optional 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
  • 3 cups Ditalini pasta or another small pasta shape
  • optional 1 - 2 fresh leaves of sage, minced
  • 1 - 2 2- inch chunks of fresh parmigiana reggiano cheese cut into 1/4ths
  • Freshly cracked salt to taste.

Instructions

  • Plug in the Instant Pot and set it on “Saute”. . . allow the pot to preheat until it beeps.
  • Next pour in the olive oil and toss in the butter, warm up, but do not burn.
  • Put the chopped onions and minced garlic in the hot oil and butter to saute for a few minutes until fragrant. REMEMBER: Garlic burns easily so keep a sharp eye on this step so that it isn’t burned . . . you’d have to start all over again and that would be a major bummer!
  • Add the celery and Italian parsley to the pot.
  • Add diced pancetta (optional -- vegetarians should leave this out).
  • Add the tomato paste.
  • Add water at least double the amount of the tomato paste. . . at first. We usually add more water as we go so that there’s more of the soupy-broth consistency that we prefer. This is not a stew, so you don’t want it too thick. Plus you don’t want the tomato paste to be overpowering. You’ll know how you like your consistency after playing with it.
  • Add 3 (12-oz) cans of drained and highly rinsed (3 times minimum) dark red kidney beans, or 1 cup of dried red kidney beans that have soaked in water overnight according to package directions. Optional: Add 1 can drained and rinsed cannellini beans.
  • Turn the Instant Pot on the “Soup” setting for 30 minutes, place the lid on securely, and allow the Pot to do its thing.
  • After 30 minutes of the soup cooking is over, the Instant Pot will beep. Turn the valve to “VENT” to release the pressure. Carefully release the pressure without burning your hands, until the steam dies down for about 5 minutes.
  • ** Add more water to the Instant Pot if you see that it is necessary after the beans have soaked up some of the water.
  • Once the pressure is released, carefully open the lid “away from you” and add 2 – 3 cups of dried pasta (using the shape of your choice). Traditionally ditalini are used, but you can also use mini farfalle, mini shells, or broken-up spaghetti noodles. The only thing to consider is that you use a smaller pasta shape.
  • Add the minced sage (optional).
  • Add 1 to 2 2-inch chunks of fresh parmigiana cheese.
  • Place the lid back on and seal.
  • Turn the Instant Pot on warm.
  • Cook the soup with the pasta, sage, and cheese for about 5 to 8 more minutes.
  • Carefully open the lid again and check on the doneness of the pasta, keeping in mind that you don't want soft, mushy pasta. Also, the pasta continues to cook in a hot soup.
  • Once again, check on whether you need to add some very hot water. You be the judge.
  • Add salt to your taste preference.
  • Remove any large chunks of cheese that may not have melted completely in the soup.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls garnished with freshly grated parmigiana cheese.
  • Serve the soup with a side salad, and crusty bread, and enjoy!
  • Buon Appetito and Mangia!

Notes

  • Italian cooking is famous for the ability to attain superior flavor with the least amount of high-quality ingredients. This is a recipe that is a perfect example of that culinary philosophy!
  • If you plan to freeze this or serve it the next day, leave out the pasta and cook it on the side, and then combine when you are ready to enjoy. This prevents the pasta from getting overcooked and mushy.
  • Serve the soup with a side salad, and crusty bread and enjoy!