This Pasta Fagioli recipe is everything a cold night calls for — a hearty, comforting Italian soup loaded with turkey sausage, two kinds of beans, and tender pasta in a rich tomato broth. It comes together easily and makes a big batch, so it's perfect for feeding a crowd or stocking your freezer for busy weeks ahead.

pasta fagioli in a bowl with pesto and parmesan with a spoon

A Quick Look

Recipe Name: Best Pasta Fagioli Recipe
Ready In: 55 minutes
Serves: 12 1 cup servings
Main Ingredients: olive oil, white onion, carrots, ribs celery, garlic, turkey sausage, each dried oregano, can cannellini beans
Why You'll Love It: Enjoy rich and satisfying flavor with the Best Pasta Fagioli Recipe. Made with two kinds of beans, herbs, and turkey sausage, this satisfying meal comes together easily and feeds 12.

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Easy and Delicious Pasta Fagioli with Turkey Sausage
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Erin's Expert Tips (Before You Start)
Ingredients Needed To Make This Pasta e Fagioli
How to Make Pasta e Fagioli with Turkey Sausage
Frequently Asked Questions
Storing leftovers
Best Pasta Fagioli Recipe

Easy and Delicious Pasta Fagioli with Turkey Sausage

The world of pasta is a large one, and I'm on a mission to tackle each pasta dish one by one! Today, we're checking off a new one with this delicious pasta fagioli recipe. This dish comes from Italy and is known for its classic pasta-and-beans combination. It uses a lot of broth, making it more of a soup — and a delicious one at that.

The dish comes together with vegetables, lots of herbs and spices, and turkey sausage as the main protein. It's satisfying, filling, and great for storing! If you love cooking with sausage, my Butternut Squash and Sausage Pasta Bake is another cozy dinner worth adding to the rotation. Pair this soup with your favorite garlic bread, or if you're craving more comforting soups this season, try my Easy French Onion Soup or One Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Feeds a crowd. This recipe makes 12 servings, so it's perfect for meal prep, freezing, or feeding the whole family.
Two kinds of beans. Cannellini and kidney beans add heartiness, fiber, and protein.
Simple, pantry-friendly ingredients. Nothing fancy here — just vegetables, herbs, canned beans and tomatoes, broth, and pasta.
Ready in under an hour. Just 10 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of mostly hands-off simmering.
Freezer-friendly. Make a batch now and enjoy it all soup season long.

erin antoniak in the kitchen giving expert tips on how to make her recipes

Erin's Expert Tips (Before You Start)

Top it right. A drizzle of pesto and extra parmesan take this dish to the next level.

Want more heat? Add a diced jalapeño or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the pot.

Don't drain the beans. Adding them undrained helps thicken the broth naturally.

Let it rest before serving. The 10-minute rest helps the pasta finish absorbing flavor without getting mushy.

Ingredients Needed To Make This Pasta e Fagioli

Here’s a little bit about everything that goes into this pasta e fagioli recipe:

Turkey sausage: 1 lb serves as the main protein alongside the beans. Italian sausage or ground beef work well as substitutes.
Beans: One 14oz can each of cannellini beans and dark red kidney beans (no need to drain).
Diced tomatoes: One 14oz can — with or without green chilies, your preference.
Tomato sauce: One 15oz can helps thicken up the dish.
Vegetable broth: 8 cups turns this into a soup. Chicken broth works too.
Ditalini pasta: 6oz of small pasta — any small shape works, but ditalini is classic here.
Parmesan: ¼ cup grated, plus more for topping.

How to Make Pasta e Fagioli with Turkey Sausage

ground sausage, celery and carrots cooking in a sauce pot

Step 1: Heat a large pot or saucepan and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables become tender, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the turkey sausage and cook until no longer pink. Stir in the spices.

ingredients for pasta fagioli in a sauce pot

Step 2: Add the beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir until everything is combined, then add the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes.

Step 3: Add the fresh parsley, pasta, and parmesan cheese, and let simmer for another 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the soup sit for 10 minutes before serving.

pasta fagioli in a bowl with pesto and parmesan

Step 4: Serve with more parmesan cheese and a drizzle of pesto on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some common questions about this pasta e fagioli. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!

Pasta fagioli is known for its classic pasta-and-beans combination, while minestrone is more vegetable-heavy.

This dish has around 20g of carbs per serving, depending on the exact type of pasta used.

Uncooked — the pasta cooks directly in the broth during the last simmering step.

Recipes vary, but this version uses olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, turkey sausage, herbs, cannellini and kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, pasta, and parmesan.

Storing leftovers

To store leftover pasta fagioli, transfer it to an airtight container once it's cooled slightly. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month for longer storage.

When you're ready to enjoy it again, reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through (this is the preferred method, since the pasta holds its texture best this way). You can also microwave individual portions in a microwave-safe bowl.

Note: The pasta will continue to absorb broth as it sits, so leftovers may thicken up over time. Just add a splash of extra broth or water when reheating to loosen it back up to your desired consistency.

if you liked this recipe, try these!

In the mood for more pasta recipes? Try one of these — the creamy cajun dish is a must try, it's always a crowd favorite!

If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!

15gprotein

dinner, lunch