Red Pepper Pasta Fagioli: Your Bowls Just Leveled Up
Red Pepper Pasta Fagioli: Your Bowls Just Leveled Up
Let’s be real: Pasta Fagioli is already peak comfort food. Imagine that rich, cozy goodness, then hit it with sweet red pepper vibes, a Parmesan rind pumping up the umami, lean ground beef making it substantial, and kale bringing a flex of green. This is warm hug in a bowl energy—but made extra.
What Makes This Dish a Whole Mood
- Major Texture Game: Ditalini—or elbow—dances with white navy beans and tender kale for that soup-and-still-bite rhythm.
- Beefed-Up Comfort: Lean ground beef gives it a heartier feel than the classic, so it’s worthy of main-course status.
- Flavor Depth: That Parmesan rind? It’s not just a fancy add-on—it’s the secret ingredient that takes the broth from “nice” to chef’s coat-worthy.
- Sweet Meets Savory: Red pepper isn’t traditional—but it’s a flavor hack that’s all about sweet-and-salty balance. That combo is majorly trending right now, and so are bowls that feel nostalgic and novel.
Food Fact That’ll Flex at Your Dinner Table
Most Pasta Fagioli is all tomatoes and beans—but adding a Parmesan rind to the simmer? It’s a classic Italian hack aimed at boosting savory without extra salt. Feel like a kitchen maestro, no lie.
Vibes & Meal Timing
This is one-pot cozy—that’s “make-it Thursday after work,” “meal-prep worthy for next-day lunches,” and “watching your fave show in your pajamas” ready. Leftovers only get better with time, too (hello, afternoon post-yoga comfort food).
Pro Serving Tip
Crusty bread? Sure. But if you’re feeling extra, toss on flaky salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before diving in. It’ll wake the whole bowl up.
Red Pepper Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbs oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 3 tbs tomato paste
- 7 cups beef broth
- 26.5 oz bottle tomato passata or puree
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 1 15 oz Cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cup ditalini
- 1 parmesan rind
- 2 handfuls chopped kale stems removed
- 1/2 lemon to squeeze juice
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
- Toss in the diced onion, carrot, and red pepper, then season with salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme.
- Cook, stirring now and then, for 6–8 minutes, until the veggies are softened and fragrant.
- Add the minced garlic and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds.
- Mix in the tomato paste, cooking it for 1–2 minutes so it deepens in color and flavor.
- Crumble in the ground beef and cook until no pink remains.
- Pour in the beef broth and tomato passata, followed by the drained beans, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind.
- Turn the heat up and bring everything to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer.
- Let it simmer away uncovered for around 30 minutes, giving it a stir here and there.
- Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8–10 minutes.
- Add the chopped kale and let it wilt into the soup.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Scoop into bowls and finish with Parmesan, cracked black pepper, a drizzle of oil, and an extra squeeze of lemon if you’re feeling zesty.
- Serve with warm, crusty bread and dig in.
