Really Good Pasta Fazool - Pasta e Fagioli

Published March 1, 2003.

The American version of pasta e fagioli is often bland and mushy and takes hours to prepare. We wanted it all: great flavor and proper texture in less than an hour.

The Problem

Americanized versions of pasta e fagioli -- often called pasta fazool -- usually disappoint. Typically, the beans have no flavor, the pasta is mushy, the broth is too tomatoey, and the soup is bland.

The Goal

Pasta fazool should be hearty and thick, almost stew-like, each spoonful laden with pasta and beans. The soup should be full of harmonious flavors, with no one taste standing out.

The Solution

Start with pancetta or bacon, and sauté the vegetables in the rendered fat. Add diced tomatoes and canned beans together so they absorb the most flavor, and use a 60/40 ratio of chicken broth and water (with a Parmesan cheese rind to boost flavor). Finish with parsley and minced anchovies.

list of recipes

America’s Test Kitchen is a 2,500-square-foot kitchen located just outside of Boston. It is the home of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines and is the workday destination for more than three dozen test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes until we understand how and why they work and arrive at the best version. We also test kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients in search of brands that offer the best value and performance. You can watch us work by tuning in to America’s Test Kitchen (www.americastestkitchen.com) on public television.