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–+ servings
Pot of delicious pasta fazool ready to eat.

Pasta Fazool Mom's Way

Germaine Sanders
Pasta Fazool is the kind of dish that tells a story. A traditional Italian peasant dish, it has countless variations shaped by the region, the family, and available ingredients. The one rule that seems to hold true is simple: there must be pasta and beans!
This particular version is especially meaningful because it’s my mom’s recipe—and this batch is one we made together. There’s something pretty special about standing side by side in the kitchen, sharing a family recipe and creating a meal that carries a little bit of our history with it.
If you’re looking for something a little quicker, I also have a simpler version called Pasta Fazool: Mom’s Original Way, made with jarred sauce and a whole lot less cooking time. It may be the shortcut, but it still has all the heart of this version.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Soups & Salads
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 10 cups

Equipment

  • 1 large pot or Dutch oven

Ingredients
  

  • olive oil
  • 2 28 ounce cans peeled tomatoes
  • 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1½ medium onion, chopped
  • ½ small 4 ounce jar chopped garlic
  • 1 pound ground hot Italian sausage, or for less of a kick substitute sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 3 15½ ounce cans cannellini beans, do not drain
  • ½ pound ditalini pasta, cook according to package directions or your favorite small pasta
  • 1½ tablespoon basil
  • 1½ tablespoon oregano
  • crushed red pepper, to taste - be mindful if you are using hot Italian sausage
  • thyme
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Remove yellow stem from peeled tomatoes and crush remaining tomatoes with your hands.
    Woman squeezing tomatoes by hand over a bowl.
  • Generously cover bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven with olive oil.
    Olive oil being poured into a pot.
  • Add chopped onion to the pot. Sauté on medium heat until soft about 10 minutes.
    A step in the process of making pasta fazool, a woman stirs minced onion as it cooks in olive oil.
  • Add ½ jar chopped garlic to the onion. Sauté until soft about 5 minutes.
  • Add ground sausage and beef. Break up meat while browning.
    A step in the process of making pasta fazool, ground meat is chopped up in a pot.
  • When the meat is browned: Add all tomatoes, 1½ tablespoons basil, 1½ tablespoon oregano, sprinkle thyme and crushed red pepper on top.
  • Pour in ¼ cup of wine. Combine well.
    A step in the process of making pasta fazool, a woman pours red wine into pot.
  • Cover and simmer for 1 - 1½ hours. Note: Pasta and cannellini beans will be added 15 minutes prior to end of total cooking time.
  • Add 3 cans undrained cannellini beans and cooked pasta. Combine. Simmer for remaining 15 minutes.
    A step in the process of making pasta fazool, a woman adds a can of cannellini/navy beans to the pot.

To Serve:

  • Sprinkle with parmesan cheese

Enjoy!

    About the Author

    Germaine Sanders Headshot
    Germaine, known affectionately as Jerry to her friends, is happily retired and enjoying life on her own terms. But if you know Jerry, you know that retirement certainly hasn’t meant slowing down - especially when there’s a good meal to be made.
    Jerry’s love of cooking was passed down through generations. Growing up, she learned the art of making incredible Italian food from her Belgian mother, who had learned from her own Italian mother-in-law. This delicious family tradition didn’t stop with Jerry and was passed down to her daughters. She continues to cook, experiment, and create wonderful meals for the people she loves.
    For Jerry, food has always been about more than what’s on the plate. It’s about family, tradition, bringing people together, and making sure no one ever leaves the table hungry. Her kitchen is where old recipes meet a little creativity - and where some of her best memories continue to be made.