The BEST Vegan Pasta e Fagioli

The BEST Vegan Pasta e Fagioli, aka “pasta and beans,” or as us ‘muricans say it, “pasta fazool” (okay, so maybe we’ve derived that from Southern Italy – I dunno) – I have ever made is for your viewing and slurping delight below. I actually didn’t set out to make Fagioli at all. I was rummaging through my fridge and cabinets to concoct something for lunch from whatever the hell I had leftover. I do this often; however, this time, it was pure gold! I had a box of ditalini pasta in my cabinet forever in hopes to park it in some kind of soup. That was the day, and it was DAMN DELICIOUS!

I’d like to think that my inner Sicilian (or so Ancestry.com has stated) allowed me to make this fabulous vegan Pasta e Fagioli juuuussst right for my soup slurping soul. Yeah, we’ll go with that. 😉 This is FGG’s version of the perfect vegan Fagioli.

Honestly, COVID cooking has been the tits! I’ve been chefin’ shit up daily, and sometimes, even remembering or thinking to photograph it! My next conquest is going to be adding a tutorial video with every post. Hoping to start that next week. And, regarding my post the other day, MY SHOP IS UP AND RUNNING!!! WOO-HOO!!! I’ve had some sales, too! Okay, so I have no doubt it’s my family and the bf but hey, it’s something. 😉 You can just click on “My Shop!” in the tab on the top of the page. Happy shopping!

If you make The BEST Vegan Pasta e Fagioli! – please leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts! Buon appetitio!

For this post about soup, I only thought of one song because there IS only ONE perfect soup song in this world. That’s right, if you were a lover of Woodie Guthrie but have never heard of Cisco Houston, welcome to a new realm of awesome! They worked together often. Houston died in ’61 but this song, and many others, carry on his classic American folk music tunes. Houston’s, “Soup Song!”

The BEST Vegan Pasta e Fagioli

Serves: 6-8

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients-

1 1/2 C ditalini pasta

Optional – 1-2 C vegan Italian sausage (diced until it is basically minced or just very finely diced – I love Tofurky’s Italian Sausage the most)

4 cloves garlic – chopped

1 yellow onion – diced

2 stalks celery – diced

2-3 carrots – diced (I recommend peeling first!)

3/4 C sliced white or crimini mushrooms

1-2 C baby spinach or Italian (Lacinato) kale (depending on how much you deem necessary – personally I use 2. If using kale, de-stem and chop)

2 cans of Great Northern Beans OR Cannellini Beans – drained

Olive oil for pot

4 C vegetable broth

1 1/2 cans good diced tomatoes (with juice from can)

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh rosemary – finely chopped

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried basil

Salt and pepper (I used a 4 pepper blend) to taste

Vegan Parmesan to taste (some vegan parms are mild, some are goat-y, some are pungent, etc. For this soup, I prefer pungent, so I used Go Veggie)

Directions-

In a large pot, cook pasta

Heat olive oil in an additional large pot on medium

Once hot, add onion and cook for 1-2 minutes – stirring occasionally – then add garlic and stir occasionally for another minute

Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt – stir occasionally for about 3 minutes or until they start to soften nicely

Add carrots and celery – stir occasionally for about 3-5 minutes (make sure veggies are tender)

Add vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and herbs. Add more salt and add pepper – bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer whilst covered for about 10 minutes. If using kale, add now and cook for 5 minutes more. If using spinach, cook for 13 minutes and add spinach for the last 2 minutes

Add the pasta and beans – stir occasionally for about 2 minutes, until everything is nicely combined

Serve and garnish each bowl with vegan parmesan (I used rosemary sprigs for a garnish, too)

Done!

Wine pairing-

Red – A light Chianti

White – Vernaccia or Pignoletto