Traditional Pasta e Fagioli Recipe from Naples

Pasta e Fagioli should be creamy enough to confuse you about whether you need a fork or a spoon.

I usually begin with the fork and inevitably end up reaching for the spoon — all those juices.

And honestly, that’s probably the correct way to eat it.

In Naples, Pasta e Fagioli is not simply “beans soup with pasta.” It’s comfort food. Winter food. End-of-the-day food. The kind of dish that slowly thickens in the pot while the kitchen windows fog up.

And like many of Italy’s best dishes, it was born from practicality, leftovers, and people knowing exactly how to turn simple ingredients into something deeply satisfying.

traditional italian pasta fagioli recipe

WHAT IS PASTA E FAGIOLI

Pasta e Fagioli is a traditional Italian pasta and beans dish found all over the peninsula, from north to south.

Some versions are in rosso, with tomato sauce. Others are in bianco, without it.

Sometimes pasta and beans are cooked separately and combined at the end.

I make it the Neapolitan way: cooking the pasta directly with the beans, so the starch slowly transforms everything into a creamy, almost velvety consistency.

Which is, in my opinion, the whole point.

traditional italian pasta fagioli recipe

HOW TO MAKE PASTA E FAGIOLI THE NEAPOLITAN WAY

The ingredients for this version are:

  • borlotti beans
  • a tiny amount of tomato passata
  • diced pancetta
  • and pasta mista, mixed pasta shapes — which historically meant leftovers from different pasta packages gathered together.

You can absolutely make Pasta e Fagioli meatless.

But pancetta brings it to another level, and there’s really just a little bit per serving.

This recipe comes from the Yellow Simposio.

traditional italian pasta fagioli recipe #gourmetproject #pastarecipes
traditional italian pasta fagioli recipe #gourmetproject
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Pasta e Fagioli from Naples

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 to be duplicated as desired:
Author Claudia Rinaldi | Gourmet Project

Ingredients

  • 1/3 onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoons pancetta diced 50 gr - 1.8 oz
  • 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 can of pre-cooked borlotti beans
  • 1/2 cup of tomato passata
  • 5.3 oz pasta (ditalini or mixed pasta) 150 gr
  • 12.3 oz hot tap water 350 gr

Instructions

  1. Julienne the pancetta, peel and crush the garlic clove and peel and finely chop the onion.

  2. Heat the olive oil in a pot (medium/tall walls), add the pancetta, and cook until the fat gets translucent (medium heat). Add garlic and onion, and sauté a few minutes until golden.

  3. Remove the garlic and add the beans and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add passata and mix.

  4. Add the pasta and the water and cook 10-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked "al dente". Give it a mix every now and then to avoid pasta sticking to the bottom. If needed, add a little water to end the cooking.

  5. You can add chili to the pasta, but I prefer to serve Pasta e Fagioli with a bottle of chili oil or freshly crushed pepperoncino on the side; this way, each one can add to personal tastes.

Recipe Notes

I'm not sure if you should serve Pasta e Fagioli with a tablespoon or a fork, I usually begin with the fork and end up with the spoon (all those juices), so I set them both on the table.

Enjoy your Pasta e Fagioli!

Claudia