Authentic Pasta e Fagioli takes just 30 minutes and is so easy! Enjoy this vegetarian pasta and beans made as in Naples, with just enough tomato broth.
Peel and chop the onion. Heat olive oil in a large pasta pot on medium high. Add the onions and tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook until onions are tender, stirring as needed, about six minutes. (Lower the heat a bit if the onions are getting too brown.)
While the onions are cooking, rinse, dry and chop the basil and optional parsley. Peel and press the garlic. Drain and rinse the beans. When the onions have another minute to cook, stir in the garlic, herbs, beans, salt and pepper.
After a minute, add water to the pot, cover it, and put the heat on high. When the pot is boiling, add the pasta.
Lower the heat to medium high or to a simmering level. (It should not be a rapid boil.) Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally and scraping along the bottom, until the pasta is al dente. (Check it three minutes before the al dente time listed on the package.) Do NOT drain.
Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Taste for seasonings and add a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes as needed.
Serve immediately with extra cheese at the table. The pasta will absorb the broth quickly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To heat leftovers, add a bit of olive oil to each serving before warming it up in the microwave.
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Notes
If you don't have tomato paste, cut up a fresh tomato instead. I prefer the paste though, because it thickens the broth.You can freeze unused tomato paste in little portions by wrapping a couple tablespoons of it in plastic wrap. Then, place those packets in a freezer bag and freeze.PastaThis recipe is written for small pasta, such as ditalini or orecchiette, which takes 9 or 10 minutes to cook. The five cups of water works well. But, if you use larger pasta, you would need to add more water to allow the pasta to cook longer without all the water evaporating. You'd have to add an extra ½ cup of water or so as needed to allow the pasta to cook properly without drying out.Parmesan - Some vegetarians don't eat Parmesan cheese because it contains an animal enzyme. If needed, you can omit it or substitute vegan cheese.