• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Cookbook
    • Subscribe
    • Travel
  • Recipes
    • Easy Dinners
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Thai
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegetarian

Inquiring Chef

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Easy Dinners
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli

    Published: Dec 9, 2020 · Modified: Dec 21, 2020 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links.

    pasta e fagioli in a white bowl with a spoon
    pasta e fagioli in a white bowl
    a ladle of pasta e fagioli soup
    instant pot pasta e fagioli

    pasta e fagioli in a white bowl with a spoon

    Pasta e Fagioli is Italian for “pasta and beans” and is universal for a warm, cozy vegetable soup. The Instant Pot makes quick work of this soup, starting with dried beans and cooking everything together into a fragrant, rich broth. 

    A few days ago we noticed that one of our six-year-olds (looking at you, Clara) had created her own method for convincing two-year-old June to try new things. She tells June that everything tastes like marshmallows. Stuffed zucchini? Marshmallows. Beef and broccoli stir-fry? Marshmallows. Salmon with tomato vinaigrette? Yes…marshmallows. While this is not a great strategy for parents, it seems to translate well in the kid-to-toddler communications. 

    Just like any house full of kids (or adults, for that matter), our house is full of conflicting food preferences. It’s nearly impossible to satisfy everyone all the time, but there are two consistent exceptions. Tacos and soup. I’ve mentioned our love of all things taco before, but this fall and winter have definitely been a season of soup for us. 

    a ladle of pasta e fagioli soup

    And few soups are as cozy, classic, and hearty as Pasta e Fagioli. The Instant Pot has the obvious advantage of cooking this soup quickly, but it serves an even greater purpose here. When cooked from dried, white beans create a flavorful, savory broth. Cook the beans alongside aromatics, vegetables, and savory pancetta and you get a broth with incredible depth. 

    And it all takes under an hour. Here’s how to make it!

    ingredients for pasta e fagioli on a white table

    Ingredients

    • Dried Cannellini Beans – This recipe starts with dried beans for maximum flavor both in the broth and the beans themselves. Be sure to soak the beans in water first (see note below).
    • Pasta – I like a small pasta shape in Pasta e Fagioli. Ditalini (pictured throughout this post) is my favorite, but any type will work. If you plan to have leftovers or want to freeze the soup, you can cook the pasta separately (see note below). 
    • Diced Pancetta – Look for pre-diced pancetta in the deli section to save time or order it from the deli counter and chop it yourself. Chopped bacon will work fine as a substitute. 
    • Carrots, Onion, Celery, and Garlic – Finely dice these as they will get very soft in the soup and are better if they sort of melt in. With this long cook time, don’t expect to have firm pieces of vegetables at the end, but you’ll get a bit of their flavor in every bite. 
    • Dried Oregano and Dried Thyme – For simplicity, I used the dried version, but using fresh versions of these herbs is great too. 
    • Tuscan Kale or Chard – One of the things that gives this broth so much flavor and a hearty feel is the addition of greens that turn silky and smooth in the pressure cooker. I like either of these sturdy greens. 
    • Whole Peeled Tomatoes – These canned whole tomatoes can go right into the Instant Pot and will get meltingly soft as they cook. A good stir at the end of cooking will make sure they are fully broken apart and mixed into the soup. 
    • Parmesan Cheese and Rind – I love the savory flavor that parmesan cheese gives this soup. See below for more details on how to put that cheese rind to great use. 

    onion, celery and carrots, diced

    Soaking Beans Before Cooking in the Instant Pot

    While you may be tempted to skip this step, it’s a good idea to soak dried beans in water before cooking them in the Instant Pot / pressure cooker. The beans will start to absorb a small amount of liquid as they soak which will help them to cook more evenly under pressure and minimize undercooked and / or split beans. 

    Cooking Pasta Separately from Soup

    If you plan to have leftovers or want to freeze this soup, it’s a great idea to cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl right before serving. The pasta will continue to soak up liquid as it sits in the soup and can become mushy.

    cooking vegetables in a stock pot

    Using Parmesan Rind in Soup

    Adding parmesan rind to soup lends a rich, savory flavor. This is even more effective in the Instant Pot / pressure cooker where the pressure extracts flavor. You can slice the rind off a hunk of parmesan cheese and use that or, the next time you finish off a wedge of parmesan cheese, just freeze it to use in soup. 

    Parmesan rind is particularly great with the flavors of Pasta e Fagioli.

    Possible Variations

    • Make it Gluten-Free – Use your favorite gluten-free pasta or just skip the pasta entirely. 
    • Make it Vegetarian – Skip the pancetta and saute vegetables in plain olive oil. You’ll still have great savory flavor from the parmesan rind. Be sure to use vegetable stock as the base of the soup.
    • Add Vegetables – This is a great soup for using up any vegetables in the crisper that need to be used up. Bell peppers, zucchini, or tomatoes would all be delicious.

    More Instant Pot Soup Recipes

    • Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup
    • Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup
    • Instant Pot All American Chili

    Favorite Tools

    • 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo

    pasta e fagioli in a white bowl

    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli

    Pasta e Fagioli is Italian for “pasta and beans” and is universal for a warm, cozy vegetable soup. The Instant Pot makes quick work of this soup, starting with dried beans and cooking everything together into a fragrant, rich broth.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr 5 mins
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: instant pot, instant pot soup, soup recipe
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 435kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

    Equipment

    • 6-quart Instant Pot / pressure cooker

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz Dried Cannellini Beans, soaked overnight or for at least 8 hours
    • 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling over top
    • 5 oz Pancetta, diced (see note; sub chopped bacon)
    • 8 oz Carrots, diced
    • 1 Onion, diced
    • 3 stalks Celery, chopped
    • 6 cloves Garlic
    • 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
    • 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
    • 6 large Tuscan Kale or Chard leaves, roughly chopped (remove and discard stems before chopping)
    • 1 15 oz can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
    • 6 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
    • 1 Parmesan Rind (you just need a piece that is a couple inches long)
    • 8 oz Small Pasta (like ditalini)
    • Parmesan cheese, for serving

    Instructions

    • Soak beans: Before making the soup, soak the dried beans in water overnight or for at least 8 hours.
    • Before cooking, drain beans.
    • Turn on the pressure cooker’s sauté function to normal / medium. Add olive oil and then pancetta. Sauté for 5 minutes, until pancetta is starting to brown.
    • To pancetta, add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic with a pinch of salt. Saute until vegetables are very tender, 10 to 12 minutes. (Note: If the vegetables start to brown before they are very tender, add a splash of water as needed.)
    • Add pancetta, dried oregano, and dried thyme and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes more.
    • Add kale / chard leaves, tomatoes (including liquid), stock, beans, and parmesan rind.
    • Pressure cook: Close and lock the lid. Set steam valve to Sealing. Cook on manual / high for 35 minutes.
    • Manually release the pressure.
    • Turn on the sauté function to normal / medium. When the soup is simmering, add in pasta and simmer until tender (check the package for recommended cooking time).
    • Remove and discard the parmesan rind. Give the soup a good stir to break up any remaining pieces of tomato. Taste soup and season with some salt and pepper.
    • Serve soup with some parmesan cheese on top.

    Notes

    Diced Pancetta - Look for pre-diced pancetta in the deli section to save time. You can also order pancetta from the deli counter and chop it yourself. Chopped bacon will work fine as a substitute. 
    Sofrito - You can pulse the carrots, onion, and celery in a food processor instead of chopping by hand if you prefer.
    Canned Beans - If you prefer to use canned beans, just stir them in at the end of cooking along with the pasta.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 1090mg | Potassium: 1489mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 12108IU | Vitamin C: 90mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 6mg

    *This post contains affiliate links*

    Filed Under: Fall, Freezer-Friendly, Italian, Pasta and Noodles, Recipes, Soups and Stews, Winter

    About Jess

    Hi, I'm Jess, an amateur cook turned professional recipe developer, food stylist, and photographer specializing in quick and easy meals that make weeknights a bit more fun. I love sharing my kitchen and my journey as a chef with other home cooks on this blog. Learn more about me here.

    Previous Post: « Creamy Cauliflower Baked Ziti
    Next Post: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    Hi there! We're Jess and Frank. We live in Kansas City with our three daughters. Our recipes are made with busy families in mind. We lived in Thailand which inspired us to cook flavorful, fun meals at home and we know you can too. We believe in your inner cook! More...

    Get new recipes and our free cookbook "Takeout at Home" by subscribing.

    From Our Recipe Box

    chicken and rice in a black bowl with chopsticks

    Sticky Cashew Chicken

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread

    Sesame Vegetable Noodles

    chicken and potatoes on a white plate

    Sheet Pan Crispy Chicken Thighs and Lemon Rosemary Potatoes

    Copyright © 2019 · Inquiring Chef · Privacy Policy

    • Pin
    • Share
    • Yum
    • Tweet
    • Email