Name: Pasta Fagioli with Sausage
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups ditalini pasta (uncooked); 1 lb Italian sausage (mild, ground); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 ½ cup yellow onion (diced); 1 cup carrots (diced); 1 cup celery (diced); 2 tsp garlic (minced); 32 oz chicken broth (low sodium); 30 oz tomato sauce; 15 oz cannellini beans (drained and rinsed); 15 oz dark kidney beans (drained and rinsed); 14 oz diced tomatoes (canned); 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; ⅓ cup parmesan cheese (grated for garnish); freshly chopped parsley (for garnish)

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This easy Italian Pasta Fagioli Soup is filled with pasta, beans and veggies with a bit of sausage in a rich and seasoned tomato based broth.

We love to serve this classic Italian soup with some crusty bread and Caesar Salad for a complete meal.

pot of pasta e fagioli with spoon picking up a hearty serving.

If you’re looking for a comforting soup to serve on a chilly day, this Pasta Fagioli with Sausage is just what you need. My family loves this one dearly!

Pasta Fagioli Soup

“Pasta e Fagioli” when translated to English means Pasta with Beans, and this soup has plenty of both. The signature type of pasta used in this soup is the ditalini pasta, which is shaped like little tubes.

It’s such a fun pasta to use in soups and pasta salads! My kids really love it.

Ingredients for Pasta Fagioli

The nice thing about this Italian style soup is that it uses plenty of pantry staples with a mix of fresh veggies. Here’s the full list of ingredients you’ll need in order to make homemade Pasta e Fagioli. As always, you can find the printable recipe card below.

Ditalini Pasta
Italian Sausage – you can use mild, hot or a mix of the two
Yellow Onion
Carrots
Celery
Chicken Broth – a good quality
Tomato Sauce
White Beans – you can also use cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
Kidney Beans – dark or regular work fine
Diced Tomatoes – from a can, with the juices
Italian Seasoning
Parmesan Cheese – for topping the finished soup

ingredients for Pasta Fagioli Soup on wooden surface with beans and pasta.

How To Make Pasta Fagioli with Sausage

Pasta Fagioli is not traditionally served with a meat, and is generally considered a vegetarian soup. However, I really wanted to add a bit of ground Italian sausage to the soup to give it a little more substance and boost of flavor.

BOIL PASTA AND BROWN SAUSAGE

Start the soup by boiling the pasta in a pot of salted water and cooking it just until it’s al dente (slightly hard to the bite). The pasta will finish cooking in the soup at the end, so don’t over cook it at this point.

sautéing the veggies in a stock pot with cooked sausage on a plate nearby.

In a large pot, brown the sausage over medium-high heat. Use a spoon to break up the meat into small chunks. I prefer to leave the chunks slightly larger so they don’t get lost in the soup later on.

SAUTÉ VEGGIES

Remove the browned sausage to a paper towel lined plate and add a little olive oil back to the pot.

Cook the onion, carrots and celery (also called a mirepoix) in the olive oil until they are softened and tender. Toss in the garlic and cook until fragrant.

ADD BROTH AND BEANS

Pour in the broth, tomato sauce, beans and seasoning to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil.

Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and add back in the sausage as well as the cooked pasta.

pot of italian soup with pasta and sausage with beans.

Allow the soup to simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, allowing all the flavors to deepen and bloom together.

Serve this warm and cozy Italian soup with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley or basil on top and enjoy!

Storage and Freezing

To store pasta e fagioli soup, let it cool to room temperature, then put in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or over low heat on the stove top.

Can I Freeze Pasta Fagioli Soup?

Yes! This soup freezes well. I love to use these silicone Souper Cubes to freeze the soup in individual size portions, making it easy to reheat just what I need.

Pasta Fagioli can be frozen for up to 3 months.

pot of pasta fagioli with ladle and parsley.

Tips and Variations

One of my favorite things about making soup is that you can easily customize it based on the ingredients you have in your fridge and pantry. It’s great for using up any random veggies you’ve got lingering in the fridge a little too long.

Gluten Free?: Simply swap out the regular pasta for a gluten free version
Beans – if you prefer a thicker soup, try blending or mashing the beans prior to adding them to the soup.
Sausage – while traditional Pasta Fagioli soup does not contain ground sausage, I’ve added it here. Feel free to omit this or swap with ground beef or turkey sausage.
More Veggies – This soup is filled with the classics of onion, carrots and celery, but you can always add more! Try zucchini, green beans or squash for some added veggies.

What To Serve with Soup

This hearty Italian Pasta Fagioli soup is filled with sausage, pasta, beans and veggies, making it a perfect stand-alone meal. However, I love to pair any soup with a side of crusty bread and salad.

spoonful of pasta fagioli in white bowl with a side of crusty bread.

More Italian Soup Recipes

I’ve got plenty of delicious Italian style soups for you to try once you’ve given this Pasta Fagioli Soup with sausage a try. I know you’ll love them all!

Give this super simple Pasta Fagioli soup recipe a try and I am confident you will love it just as much as we do!

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