Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta Fasul) is one of my very favorite dishes. It is basically an Italian sausage stew….and way delicious. It is just so comforting and satisfying. I often take it to pot lucks, as one batch feeds a crowd. And I always get compliments and recipe requests!
It is very easy to make but does take a little prep work. Start by adding the Italian sausage and fennel seeds to a large Dutch Oven and cook until the sausage is browned, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Remove the sausage from pot leaving behind approximately 1 tbsp of the grease.
While the sausage is browning chop all vegetables to a fine dice and add to the pot. Cook the vegetables until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the sausage along with the herbs and seasonings into the vegetables, and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the beef stock to deglaze the pan, scraping all the crispy bits from the bottom of the pot. Next, add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans, and vinegar.
Next, an optional step… I always keep the rinds from my Parmesan cheese and put them in the freezer for when I’m making dishes like Pasta e Fagioli. Just throw it in the pot and while the stew is simmering it will add a great cheesy, savory, salty flavor without adding a ton of salt. It’s a great idea to add the Parmesan rinds to soups, stews, and even marinara sauce.
Just before it’s time to eat, cook the pasta according the directions on the package….to al dente. (Here is where you don’t want to skimp on the salt…liberally salt your pasta water so your pasta has great flavor!) I love this small Ditali pasta. It is the perfect size for adding to soups and stews…or pouring the delicious Pasta e Fagioli over!!
To serve, place some pasta in the bottom of a bowl and scoop lots of the Pasta e Fagioli over the pasta. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired and pour yourself a lovely glass of Red…Buon Appetitio!!
For leftovers, store the pasta and the stew separately to keep the pasta from soaking up all of the liquid in stew.
Pasta e Fagioli
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Italian Sausage
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 onion
- 3 large carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 8 oz beef stock
- 1 28 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 14 oz can great norther beans with liquid
- 1 14 oz can red kidney beans with liquid
- 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 lb Ditali Pasta
- Grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In large Dutch Oven add the Italian sausage and fennel seeds and cook until the sausage is brown, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks. Remove sausage from pot leaving behind approximately 1 tbsp of the grease.
- While sausage is browning chop all vegetables to a fine dice and add to the pot. Cook the vegetables until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add the sausage and the herbs and seasonings in with the vegetables and cook another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the beef stock to deglaze the pan, scraping all the crispy bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the tomato sauce, tomatoes beans, and vinegar.
- Transfer the Dutch Oven to a preheated 300° oven for 1.5 hours.
- Just before it’s time to eat, cook the pasta according the directions on the package….to al dente. (Don’t forget to salt your pasta water!)
- To serve, place some pasta in the bottom of a bowl and spoon lots of the Pasta e Fagioli over the pasta. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese…Buon Appetitio!!
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