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Neapolitan pasta e fagioli with pasta mista and cannellini beans
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Pasta e Fagioli

This traditional Neapolitan Pasta e Fagioli is a classic Italian comfort dish made with cannellini beans, pasta mista, tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. A simple yet deeply flavorful recipe rooted in the traditions of southern Italian cooking.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
If using dried beans 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz pasta mista
  • 1½ cups dried cannellini beans or 2 cans cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ can of tomatoes 14 oz crushed tomatoes
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper q.b.

Method
 

Cooking the Dried Beans
  1. If using dried beans, rinse and soak them overnight in water.
  2. Drain the beans and add them to a pot with fresh cold water, the bay leaves, and one clove of garlic. Simmer for 2–2½ hours, until the beans are tender.
Pasta e Fagioli
  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Add one clove of garlic, whole, along with the diced celery. Sauté until the celery becomes soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
  4. Add the cooked beans with a slotted spoon, then pour in enough of their cooking liquid to cover everything by about one inch.
  5. If using canned beans, substitute water or broth for the bean cooking liquid.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and bring the pot to a gentle boil.
  7. Add the pasta mista directly into the pot and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if needed.
  8. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and cracked black pepper before serving.

Notes

Chef’s Tips 

Use pasta mista if possible. This traditional mix of small pasta shapes is commonly used in Naples.
Cooking the pasta directly in the soup allows the starch to thicken the broth and create a richer texture.
Always finish Pasta e Fagioli with a drizzle of good olive oil — it adds depth and ties the whole dish together.