Pasta e Fagioli (One Pot, Creamy) Italian Pasta Fagioli Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion (finely diced)
• 2 small carrots (finely diced)
• 2 small celery ribs (finely diced)
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 8 garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
• 12 ounces passata
• 7 cups low-sodium chicken stock (plus up to 1 cup more hot stock as needed)
• 1 Parmesan rind
• 2 15 oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• 2 to 3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (divided)
• Parmigiano Reggiano (grated for serving)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery with a light sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the garlic, a pinch of black pepper, and the tomato paste. Cook, stirring, until the paste darkens and smells sweet, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the white wine. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until the wine is mostly reduced, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the Italian seasoning and passata. Stir in the chicken stock, Parmesan rind, and the beans. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Season lightly with some of the salt.
5. Taste check: it should be flavorful but just shy of perfectly salted. The pasta will dilute it slightly.
6. Remove the Parmesan rind. Add the orecchiette. Simmer at a lively bubble, stirring often so the pasta cooks evenly and does not stick, until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes. If the pot gets too thick, add a splash of hot stock to loosen.
7. Turn off the heat. Taste and adjust with the remaining salt and black pepper until bright and savory. Let the pot rest a few minutes to thicken to a creamy, scoopable texture.
8. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with bread if you like.