Pasta e Fagioli Soup with Chard

A rustic Italian soup made with pasta and beans, pasta e fagioli is a classic dish to which I add greens for extra flavor and nutrition. Even though I use mainly the leaves in this tomato-based recipe, I tend to make it with rainbow chard versus white-stemmed Swiss chard because the bright colors extend from the stems through the leaf veins, adding even more color to each bowl.

If you’ve ever had a bland version of this soup or found the pasta to be too soft, try this recipe, perhaps when you’re craving a tomato soup with some tasty extras. The method and ingredients result in a satisfying meal perfect for topping with plenty of shaved Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
½ teaspoon red chile flake (or less based on heat preference)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup dry white wine
1, 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (no-salt)
3 cups chicken stock (unsalted or low salt)
1 cup water
1, 15-ounce can navy beans
½ bunch rainbow chard (or white-stemmed Swiss chard)
1 ¼ cups ditali (or another small pasta of your preference)
Parmesan cheese for topping

While my family added greens to certain Italian soups, pasta e fagioli was not one of them. I started incorporating chard because the leaves are so tasty, and they make the soup feel even more like a complete meal. What I haven’t altered is the method of cooking the pasta separately from the soup. This allows it to retain the perfect texture and not to soak up too much of the liquid as it sits.

Begin by pouring the olive oil into a large pot and heating over medium. Add onions and carrots and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally so that they soften but do not brown. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for another 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season vegetables with salt and pepper. Add the sage, rosemary, red chile flake, and garlic to the pot and cook for a minute. Add the white wine, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the wine has reduced in half. Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the chard by cutting the leaves from the stalks and chopping into about 2-inch pieces. Rinse and drain the navy beans. Once the soup has finished simmering covered, add to pot with the chard. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Next, while the soup is still cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. While many recipes call for the pasta to be cooked in the soup, I prefer to cook it on the side and add it to individual bowls. This helps it to maintain the best texture rather than becoming soft or gummy. If you have any left once the meal is finished, this method also allows you to store the pasta separately from the soup so that it doesn’t absorb liquid while it sits.

Once the soup has finished cooking, season with additional salt if necessary, remove from heat, and allow to rest while you add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook until al dente. Strain the pasta, toss with a drizzle of olive oil so that it doesn’t stick together, and leave on the side.

Ladle soup into bowls and add pasta to your preference. Top with shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese.

Storage and Reheating Tips: Store the soup separately from the pasta if any remains. After reheating the soup, add the pasta to individual bowls and stir so that the heat of the soup warms the pasta.