Easy Pasta e Fagioli

This is a variation on the first two recipes in this nice Pasta e Fagioli collection. It’s vegetarian, quick, and simple.

Serves 2.

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz can (approx. 1 ½ c.) cannellini
• 1-4 cloves garlic (to taste), crushed or chopped
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed in a mortar and pestle
• pepper to taste (or 5 peppercorns, crushed in a mortar and pestle)
• about 3 c. water (or broth)
• about 2 T. tomato paste
• ½ tsp. salt or to taste
• about ⅔ c. or ¼ lb. small pasta (e.g., orzo)

Directions

1. Fry the garlic and spices in oil at the bottom of a small stockpot briefly.
2. Optionally, puree about half of the beans in some of the water.
3. Add all the beans, the water, and the tomato paste (carefully) to the pot.
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Add the pasta and cook for its cooking time, stirring frequently.
6. Serve at any temperature.

Variants

Use tomato sauce instead of paste.

Replace water with chicken broth or fish stock.

Top with grated Italian cheese.

Add some sliced Italian sausage.

Beware of adding too much pasta. For pasta conversions, try Barilla.

The Spruce Eats makes a big batch with ground beef in the Instant Pot.