Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli
Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli
A simple pasta e fagioli minestra: San Marzano tomatoes simmered down, kidney beans added with their liquid, and tubetti folded in.
Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: about 1 hour
What Is Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli?
A homestyle minestra di pasta e fagioli: golden onion, strained San Marzano tomatoes simmered with water, kidney beans added liquid and all for body, and little tubetti tubes folded through.
Why Make Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli?
- The simplest honest pasta e fagioli
- Bean liquid is the secret thickener
- San Marzano tomatoes earn their billing here
- Seven ingredients, one pot plus pasta water
- Hearty enough for dinner, humble enough for Tuesday
Unico Products Used in This Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 onion (small, finely chopped)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 796 mL San Marzano type tomatoes (strained (28 oz))
- 540 mL red kidney beans (canned, with liquid (19 oz))
- 225 g tubetti (1/2 lb)
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp pepper (finely ground)
Instructions
- In a medium pot, sauté the onion in the oil over low heat until golden brown.
- Add the strained tomatoes and cook over medium-low heat about 15 minutes.
- Add 1 can of water (using the tomato tin to measure) and cook 20 minutes at a bubbly simmer.
- Add the kidney beans with their liquid and cook another 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente in a separate pot and drain.
- Add the pasta to the bean and tomato mixture, mix thoroughly, season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Cooking Tips
- Take the onion truly golden — it's the flavour base
- Use the empty tomato tin to measure the water, as nonna did
- Don't drain the beans; the liquid builds the broth
- Cook the pasta separately so it doesn't drink the soup
- Let it rest 5 minutes; minestra thickens as it stands
Frequently Asked Questions About Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli
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1. What's the difference between minestra and minestrone?
Minestra is simpler — fewer ingredients, often just one bean and one pasta; minestrone is the everything version.
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2. Why add the bean liquid?
It thickens and seasons the broth — the traditional trick for body without cream.
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3. What can replace tubetti?
Ditali, elbows or any small tube; even broken spaghetti is traditional.
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4. Is it a soup or a pasta?
Between the two — thicker than soup, brothier than pasta; eat it with a spoon.
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5. How do I store leftovers?
Refrigerate up to 3 days; thin with water when reheating as the pasta absorbs broth.
Cooking Guides & Tips
- How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Time
- A Guide to Italian Beans: Cannellini, Romano, Chick Peas and Kidney A guide to the beans Italian cooking leans on — cannellini, romano, chick peas and kidney beans — and how to use them, canned or dried.
- Choosing the Right Pasta Shape for Your Sauce
Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli Made Simple
Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli is the weeknight bean soup Italians never wrote down — until now. Unico San Marzano tomatoes, kidney beans and tubetti fill the pot.