Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli Recipe: Hearty Italian Soup

Instant Pot pasta e fagioli — an easy, hearty, and comforting soup that comes together quickly in your electric pressure cooker. This large, cozy batch is ready in under 40 minutes, making it perfect for weeknights or a warming weekend meal.

I love adapting traditional stovetop recipes for the Instant Pot because pressure cooking concentrates flavors fast and frees you from constant stirring. This version of pasta e fagioli uses pancetta for depth, plenty of vegetables, beans for body, and small pasta to make the soup satisfying without being heavy. Finish bowls with freshly grated Parmesan for a bright, savory touch.

What’s pasta e fagioli?

Pasta e fagioli literally means “pasta and beans” — a classic Italian soup built on simple, pantry-friendly ingredients. It’s rustic, comforting, and flexible: change the beans, use different small pasta shapes, or leave out the pancetta to make it vegetarian. The basic components are:

• Pancetta (or bacon) for a salty, savory base
• Onion, celery, and carrots for a classic soffritto
• Garlic and Italian seasoning for aromatic flavor
• Diced tomatoes and broth for the soup base
• Beans (red or white kidney beans work well) for protein and texture
• Small pasta such as ditalini or elbow macaroni

This combination yields a stew-like soup that’s both filling and bright from the tomatoes and Parmesan finish.

How to make Instant Pot pasta e fagioli

• Prep and chop all your ingredients first so the cooking process is smooth.
• Use the Sauté function to render the pancetta until crisp and browned.
• Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened, then stir in garlic briefly.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the pot (tomatoes, broth, water, vegetables, beans, seasoning, and dry pasta) and stir to combine.
• Close the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
• When the timer finishes, perform a quick pressure release, check seasoning, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.

Pressure cooking helps the flavors meld while keeping vegetables tender and pasta perfectly done without constant attention.

Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli

Ingredients

• 1 (4.4 ounce) package diced pancetta
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 3 sticks celery, chopped
• 3 large carrots, chopped or sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
• 4 cups chicken broth or stock
• 1 cup water
• 4 dashes Italian seasoning
• 1 (15 fluid ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 fluid ounce) can white kidney beans (cannellini), drained
• 1 cup uncooked pasta (ditalini or macaroni)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep your ingredients: chop the onion, celery, carrots, and mince the garlic. Drain and rinse the canned beans.
2. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the diced pancetta and cook until it becomes crispy and begins to brown.
3. Add the chopped onion and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion softens. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
4. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), chicken broth, water, Italian seasoning, chopped celery, carrots, and both cans of drained beans. Stir to combine.
5. Stir in the uncooked pasta. Close the lid, set the pressure valve to sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes.
6. When the cooking cycle ends, perform a quick pressure release according to your pot’s instructions. Open the lid carefully, taste, and season with salt and pepper as needed.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot.

Notes

• Pasta in soups tends to soak up broth over time. When reheating leftovers, add extra broth or water to loosen the soup to your preferred consistency.
• Inactive time in the Instant Pot refers to the time it takes the cooker to come up to pressure before the timer starts. This can vary by model and the temperature of your ingredients.
• Portions: this recipe serves about 6, depending on portion size; it scales well if you want to double the batch.
• Vegetarian option: omit the pancetta and use vegetable broth for a meatless version. Add a splash of good olive oil at the end for richness.

Serving suggestions and variations

Serve with crusty bread or focaccia to soak up the broth, and offer grated Parmesan at the table. Swap pancetta for diced bacon or keep it meat-free. Try different small pasta shapes, and experiment with chickpeas or navy beans if you prefer a different bean texture.

Other Instant Pot soups to try

• Instant Pot minestrone
• Instant Pot cabbage soup
• Instant Pot potato leek soup
• Instant Pot chicken noodle soup
• Instant Pot hamburger soup

I love how this soup warms the house and makes great leftovers. If you have questions or notes about how you made it, feel free to leave a comment below.