This Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli recipe is a quicker and more convenient way to make the classic Italian pasta and bean soup. Tender beef, savory, broth, hearty vegetables, and al dente ditalini pasta is the perfect dinner for those chilly autumn or winter evenings.
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I don’t know about you, but my kids absolutely LOVE soup season. Heck, they even ask for it during our hot 110°+ summer weather we get here in the Central Valley of California! And I don’t blame them. Soup is the ultimate comfort food and brings such joy. Rewinding about 11 years ago when it was just my husband and I, I rarely made it because my husband didn’t find it filling: “Soup. Is not. A meal, Vera.”
But once my kids were old enough to start eating it (as cleanly as possible lol!) they started voicing their wants for it, and my husband had no choice but to eat it. Haha sorry Crow, but it’s 4 to 1 now.
I find that soups loaded with fresh vegetables and plenty of meat are winners for all of us. Plus they are easy meals to put together! Serve this with 1-Hour Honey Butter Dinner Rolls and you have a delicious dinner. Let’s cook!
What is Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli?
Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli is a warm and comforting dish, combining the heartiness of beans and pasta with the savory and aromatic notes of vegetables and herbs. Serve this satisfying pasta soup with my 5-ingredient Italian Cheese Bread and you have a hearty meal for the whole family!
The Players for Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients:
- Butter – You can substitute with extra virgin olive oil if you prefer.
- Onion – Use your favorite onion – brown, yellow, or white.
- Celery – Offers a fresh, clean, and earthy flavor to our hearty soup.
- Carrots – Help bring a natural sweetness and complexity to the soup, making it more well-rounded and delicious.
- Garlic – A couple of minced cloves will do, or you can use garlic powder.
- Ground Beef – I prefer to use leaner ground beef. You can also use Italian sausage, ground turkey, or even ground chicken if you prefer for this Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli soup.
- Beef Broth – Beef broth adds a rich and savory flavor to our classic Italian soup. You can also use vegetable broth or low sodium chicken broth if you’d like.
- Water – This adds more liquid to our brothy soup.
- Tomatoes – We’ll be using a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes. If you want more of a rich tomato broth, you can add in an additional 8-ounce can of tomato sauce.
- Kidney Beans – These beans add a distinct flavor and texture to the soup. Kidney beans also have a satisfying mouthfeel with their tender, yet slightly firm, texture. Make sure to drain and rinse your kidney beans before using.
- Red Pepper Flakes – This brings heat to this recipe.
- Italian Seasoning – Basil, Thyme, Oregano, and Rosemary is the perfect blend for this soup.
- Salt and Black Pepper – Season your soup to taste.
- Pasta – Ditalini is the most common pasta used for this delicious soup, but you can also use small shells.
- Parmesan Cheese – Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese over your bowl of soup to add saltiness and richness.
Tools:
- Instant Pot – I love using my Instant Pot for many recipes including this family favorite, Easy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe.
- Mason Jars – I really love having large mason jars on hand for leftover soup storage! It makes pouring from the jar to the saucepan a lot less messy than regular storage containers.
How to Make Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli
Before we begin, you can make this Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli two different ways:
- You can cook the ditalini pasta with the soup to make this a ‘one-pot’ version. This way utilizes less dishes and less to do in the kitchen. OR
- You can cook the pasta separately in a pot on the stove. Cooking your pasta separately minimizes the amount of starch in the soup, keeping the soup from becoming “thick” and the pasta from becoming gummy. Doing it this way is best if you’re wanting leftovers, as you can add as much or as little cooked pasta to your soup bowl as you’d like.
Sautéing your veggies
Turn on your Instant Pot to the Saute setting (less/low setting so it’s not too hot. Melt your butter and add your onions, celery, and carrots,
Fun fact: The combination of these three ingredients is called a “Mirepoix”(pronounced meer-pwaa) or “Soffritto”. Saute your mirepoix for about 4 minutes, until the vegetables become tender and the onions are translucent.
Add in your minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds being careful not to burn the garlic.
With the Instant Pot still on the Saute function, add in your ground beef and begin to crumble and brown your beef until fully cooked. Drain off as much fat as you can with a spoon, if possible.
Add in your liquids and seasonings
To the ground beef mixture, add in your beef broth, water, diced tomatoes with juices, kidney beans, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Give the mixture a good stir.
Place the lid on top of your Instant Pot and set the valve to ‘Sealing’.
Set your Instant Pot to the Pressure Cook or High Pressure setting for 7 minutes.
Once the Instant Pot has finished the cooking cycle, slowly and carefully, using a wooden spoon, begin to move the valve to Venting. This is called, “Quick Release”. If you notice liquid begin to come out of the valve, set the valve back to ‘Sealing’ for a few seconds, then return back to ‘Venting’. Continue doing this until no liquid comes out and all the steam is able to release. Once the pin drops on your Instant Pot, remove the lid.
Cooking your Ditalini pasta
*If you plan on cooking your ditalini pasta in the Instant Pot with the soup, now is the time to add in your dry pasta. Set your Instant Pot to Saute and add in your ditalini pasta. Cook for 8 minutes uncovered or until the pasta is al dente. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley if desired.
*If you plan on cooking your pasta separately, while the soup is pressure cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil on the stove top. Once the water is boiling, add a few pinches of salt to the water, add the pasta to the salted boiling water, and cook for 8 minutes uncovered or until the pasta is al dente. Drain your pasta and add a spoonful or two to a soup bowl, and add a ladleful or two of soup to your bowl. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley if desired.
Can I use other types of beans for Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli?
Yes! It’s worth noting that Pasta e Fagioli recipes can vary greatly, and some versions may use other types of beans, such as:
- Cannellini Beans (White Kidney Beans)
- White Beans (Great Northern Beans)
- Navy Beans
The choice of beans can influence the overall taste and texture of the soup, making each version of Pasta Fagioli unique. Kidney beans are just one of the many options for adding depth of flavor and nutritional value to this popular Italian dish.
What does Mirepoix or Soffritto mean?
The Mirepoix or Soffritto serves as the aromatic foundation for a wide range of dishes, including soups, stews, stocks, and sauces. The vegetables are sautéed in fat, such as butter or olive oil, until they become translucent and fragrant. This process, known as sweating, helps release and develop their flavors before adding other ingredients.
Storage Instructions
Leftover Instant Pot Pasta Fagiloi will keep in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. I like to store my leftover soup in large mason jars or jelly jars for easy pouring to reheat later.
To reheat your pasta fagioli, pour your soup into a saucepan on the stove over medium heat for 3 minutes. Additionally, you can heat your soup up in the microwave for 2-3 minutes on 50% power until warmed through.
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If you end up making this easy Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli recipe, leave me a comment! I’d love to chat with you and see what you thought of it.
Looking for other easy recipe Ideas? Check these out next!
- Creamy Chicken and Herby Potato Skillet Recipe
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- Easy Cheesy One Pot Pizza Pasta Dinner Recipe
- Shrimp Scampi with Linguine Recipe
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- Classic Meatloaf with Ground Beef (and Ketchup Glaze)
- Easy One-Pot Sun Dried Tomato and Chicken Pasta Recipe
- Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
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Easy Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced (2 stalks)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 16-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- fresh herbs to top, optional
Instructions
- Turn on your Instant Pot to the Saute setting. Melt your butter and add in your onions, celery, and carrots and saute for 4 minutes.
- Add in your minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- With the Instant Pot still on the Saute function, add in your ground beef and brown your beef until fully cooked. Drain off as much fat as you can with a spoon.
- To the ground beef mixture, add in your beef broth, water, diced tomatoes with juices, kidney beans, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Give the mixture a good stir.
- Place your lid on top of the Instant Pot, set the valve to 'sealing', and pressure cook for 7 minutes.*
- Once the cycle has completed, carefully do a quick release, and remove the lid.
- If cooking your pasta in the soup, set the Instant Pot to Saute and cook your ditalini pasta in the soup uncovered for 8 minutes.
- Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and additional herbs if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
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