The Kitchn: Slow cooker soup lasts all week long, if you don't eat it all the first day
Pasta e fagioli translates to "pasta and beans," but that doesn't even begin to describe all the flavorful elements of this humble, comforting dish. Tender pinto beans cook all day, resulting in a rich and creamy broth, and vibrant tomatoes, pancetta and herbs are added to round out the sophisticated Italian meal.
Here, we use the slow cooker to pull this soup together, making it a hands-off dinner you can eat tonight and enjoy all week.
This slow cooker pasta e fagioli starts with a pound of dried pinto beans (great northern beans work well too) and a flavorful broth. The dish can be made with or without meat, and you'll often see American adaptations made with ground beef. We prefer pancetta -- the salty, dry cured Italian ham, which gives the broth a rich savoriness. The beans, pancetta, and other additions cook long and low for 10 to 12 hours until the beans are creamy.
A word about adding the pasta: You'll want to cook the pasta separately before adding it to the slow cooker. If you add dried pasta directly to the slow cooker, they'll soak up all that gorgeous broth before you get to enjoy it. Use ditalini if you can find it, but small shells work in a pinch.
Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli
Serves 10 to 12
For the soup:
1 pound dried pinto beans
4 cups water, plus more for soaking
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