Parmesan rind and a kitchen sink’s worth of aromatics give heady flavor to this classic pasta fagioli recipe with beans and pasta.
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
1½
1
2
2
1
6
1
2
2
3
1
1
¾
3
½
Preparation
Step 1
Bring beans, Parmesan rind, carrots, celery, head of garlic, parsley, rosemary, bay leaves, chiles, and 2 quarts water to a boil in a medium pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, adding more water as needed, until beans are tender, about 1½ hours. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and let sit 30 minutes. Discard vegetables, rind, and herbs.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over medium. Cook onion and chopped garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8–10 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands, and cook, stirring often, until liquid is almost completely reduced, 12–15 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Add beans and their liquid; cook until flavors meld, 12–15 minutes. Add pasta; cook, stirring and adding more water as needed, until al dente, 15–20 minutes. Add escarole and cook until wilted, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper. Serve soup drizzled with oil and topped with Parmesan and more chile.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Reviews (32)
Back to TopFantastic!
Anonymous
Nj
7/6/2022
I made this exactly as written. Absolutely the most wonderful soup I have ever. I've owned several Italian restaurants and would have put this one on the menu. Just amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Ron B
South Florida
10/23/2021
This recipe is delicious. I stewed my own tomatoes (Joy of Cooking) as I don't like using canned food. The broth is amazing, though next time, I'll put the herbs and garlic in a bouquet garni so I can easily remove it when done. I added fresh thyme to the broth. The broth was incredibly fragrant and full bodied. There is a sweetness to the broth which is wonderfully countered by the escarole. I switched out the pasta for two tarot roots about the size of a medium potato - they added a nutty-flavor and a thickness to the broth, though pasta would be yummy as well. My kitchen smells like heaven - I am definitely making this again!
Diane K.
Bakersfield, CA
10/23/2021
I read this recipe, looked at a few others and made a kind of mix of all of them without looking back at any recipe. First, a soffritto of carrot, leek, fennel (because I had leek and fennel) Then added garlic and fresh oregano Then water, parmesan rind, couple of soups spoons of soya sauce, chilli, dried mixed herbs and soaked borlotti beans. Cooked the pasta (small penne) separately especially because it wasn't the greatest quality and it could easily get horrible and soggy and only added it just before serving The beans were enough to last two meals: the first time I only wilted the "escarole" but the second time I cooked it for about 10 minutes because it was a bit tough. In Australia we don't have a vegetable we call escarole (that I'm aware of) and I assumed that escarole is what we call curly endive, however, I don't think it is and that's why it was better cooked longer. I left out the tomatoes just because. Served with lots of parmesan. Next time I'll make it more according to Chris's recipe but it was still very good as it was.
Petra
Sydney, Australia
5/11/2021
So I soaked some white navy beans overnight to make BBQ baked beans but had more beans then I wanted so I ended up cooking the extra very similarly to the beginning of this recipe. I was looking for something to make with these extra beans. I knew I had to make this when I found it. I had 3 cups of bean broth that I seasoned with garlic, parsley, rosemary, bayleaf, chicken fat, and olive oil, along with about 2 cups of beans. I added in 3 cups of veggie stock and a parmesan rind. Step one complete already with the stuff I had premade! I made a little mirepoix, added the tomatoes and wine, let it reduce, and just added it to the stock mixture. It tasted a little acidic so I helped it out with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cooked the pasta in the pot and tossed in escarole right before serving. It was bomb! I am so happy I found this recipe AND I tried escarole for the first time. Escarole tastes like a slightly bitter romaine, but it holds up in the soup well.
Christie
Texas
2/2/2021
This is SO delicious! I took a page out of my mom's book and pureed some of the veg to add back into the broth. Really tasty!
M_Feldman1
North Carolina
4/27/2020
"Carla Lalli Music has outdone herself with this one. Extraordinary. Nothing left to say. ANONYMOUS TUCSON, AZ09/28/18" The recipe is by Chris Morocco, not Carla.
Anonymous
Palm Beach
1/24/2020