Name: Recipe for Italian Bean, Vegetable, and Pasta Stew
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 (1 cup) servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 olive oil; 1/2 butternut squash, chopped; 1/2 celery, diced; 2 northern beans, drained and rinsed; 1/2 yellow onion, diced; 1 1/2 fresh tomatoes, diced; 1 fresh garlic, minced; 2 1/2 low sodium vegetable broth; 1/3 carrots, diced; 1/4 green onion, chopped; 1 bay leaf; 3/4 green beans, snipped and cut 1 inch long; 1/8 black pepper; 3/4 zucchini squash, chopped; 3/4 potato, chopped; 1/4 fresh basil, shredded; 1/2 dry pasta shells

Soups and Stews

A Traditional Stew of Italy

Pasta fagioli (pronounced “fah-ZHOO-lee) literally means “pasta and beans”, and is a traditional stew/ soup of Italy and Sicily. Traditionally made with short tube-like ditalini pasta, it is very forgiving of style and requires just a “macaroni” type pasta. And feel free to use any canned beans available—Italians typically add white cannellini or the lovely pink cranberry beans they call borlotti, but any beans other than seasoned black beans will work. The combination of proteins in the beans and pasta, along with the squash and potatoes, makes this a complete meal.

Italian Bean, Vegetable, and Pasta Stew

Recipe courtesy of

Chef Edwin Cabrera

Prep Instructions

Yield: 8 (1 cup) servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Recipe Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup butternut squash, chopped
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 cups northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1/3 cup carrots, diced
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup green beans, snipped and cut 1 inch long
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup zucchini squash, chopped
3/4 cup potato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, shredded
1/2 cup dry pasta shells

Follow the prep technique next to each ingredient.
In a medium size stock pot add olive oil and sauté the celery, onions, carrots, garlic and bay leaf.
Fold in the potatoes, butternut squash, green beans, pasta, northern beans and tomatoes with the vegetable broth.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil, cover and lower the heat to a low simmer, cook for 15 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until squash is tender but firm.