Pasta and Potato Soup (Pasta e Patate) (2024)

Italian pasta and potato soup, or pasta e patate, is a great way to use up leftovers and makes a great dish with a lot of flavor. As the name implies, it’s an unorthodox mix of potatoes with pasta in a soupy consistency. Pasta e patate is one of those cucina povera (peasant food) dishes that gets passed down through the generations and has a lot of variations depending on the region and what you have on hand.

Pasta e patate is a classic Italian dish that came from poor people trying to stretch out leftovers and not waste any food. Like most cucina povera dishes, the recipe has humble origins and has evolved over time. While it’s still a great way to use up leftovers, pasta and potatoes is a great meal you can make anytime as well, especially on a cold winter day.

While the base recipe can be very simple, it really is meant to be a way to use up what you have on hand, so feel free to add things. Pasta and potatoes is also an easy 1-pot meal that can be thrown together in less than an hour.

This version of Italian pasta and potato soup is a Roman version that includes guanciale and pecorino Romano cheese. There are many variations across Italy, and feel free to make this without meat, or using something in place of the guanciale as well.

📜 Origins

While there’s not one single recipe to call back to, the best consensus I have found is that the original dish came from Naples during the 16^th century. From there it spread across Italy as a way to use up leftovers, including the newly imported vegetables potatoes and tomatoes.

Some of the oldest recipes simply included potatoes, pasta, and cheese, and others added tomato and onion while using only the cheese rind while cooking and adding cheese at the end. What makes pasta e patate so wonderful is that there’s no set rules and regional differences add personality.

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Another aspect of the dish that follows the theme of using leftovers is in the choice of pasta. One of the most popular pasta choices for pasta e patate is called pasta mista, or literally “mixed pasta.” This is where you can use up all those leftover bits of pasta at the bottom of the box that weren’t enough to make a whole dish. While the pasta used is typically small, you can also use what is called pasta spezzata, or “broken pasta.” This is typically done with long pasta such as spaghetti or linguine and you simply break the long strands into 1-2” pieces.

🥘 Ingredients

Before going into the ingredients for this pasta and potato soup, I want to reiterate that this dish is all about what you have on hand or how you want to make it. The basic recipe includes pasta, potatoes, onion, tomatoes of some kind, and water. From that base you can add and flavor it to your liking, and it can be as dry or soupy as you prefer.

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Meat – This is optional, and feel free to omit for a vegetarian or vegan version. I make a Roman version of pasta and potatoes here by including guanciale and pecorino Romano cheese, but I had those as leftovers from making spaghetti carbonara and pasta alla gricia. Another common addition in Italy is lardo, a type of cured pork fat. Feel free to use something else like pancetta or bacon as well if that’s what you have.

Pasta – As mentioned above, pasta mista or pasta spezzata are the most common types of pasta used in this dish. If you don’t have leftover pasta and wish to make this, I would recommend something smaller like ditalini or getting spaghetti and breaking it up.

When using mixed pasta, they will probably have different cooking times. Some people prefer the various textures by adding all the pasta at once and cooking until the longest al dente time is reached. Another method is to add the shorter cooking time pasta a few minutes later.

Potatoes – This is open to using what you have on hand, or what you prefer. Peel and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces about 1-2” chunks in size. I used small golden potatoes I had left over from making Guinness Irish stew, so I didn’t need to peel them and simply cut some of the larger ones in half.

Vegetables – Using just an onion is fine, but I prefer the added flavor of a whole soffritto. This is made with onion, carrot, and celery, diced and sauteed in olive oil. If you wish to add garlic, you can add that as well.

Tomatoes – I kept this separate from the vegetables because what you use is up to you. In pasta e patate it’s acceptable to use fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, or tomato paste. I had some tomato paste I needed to use up, so I went with that. I also like the flavor it adds when toasted with the vegetables right before adding water or broth. If using fresh, I’d recommend something smaller like cherry tomatoes chopped up.

Herbs – These are completely optional, but fresh thyme and parsley are commonly added. You could also throw in things like rosemary or basil if you like.

Broth – Traditionally made with just water, vegetable broth is also commonly used for added flavor. I used 4 cups of broth in mine and adjusted with added water, but feel free to use all water or all broth instead.

Cheese – Cheese is also optional, and feel free to omit for a vegan version. I added grated pecorino Romano since I made a Roman version with guanciale, but you can use anything you have on hand. Another common practice is to add just the cheese rind while the dish is cooking and remove it before serving. In some regions, cubes of cheese are added when the pasta is cooked and a less soupy, heavily cheesy version is made instead.

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🔪 How to Make

Begin by dicing the onion, carrots, and celery and set aside. Peel and chop the potatoes into roughly one-to-two-inch cubes and set aside. Slice the guanciale, if using, into small lardons or cubes and set aside. In a large pot, add the olive oil and heat to medium high.

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Once heated, add the guanciale and onion and sauté until they turn translucent, about 5-7 minutes. In the meantime, in a small sauce pan or pot bring the vegetable broth and water to a light simmer and keep to the side. Once the onion and guanciale have started turning translucent, add the carrot and celery and some salt and pepper and continue to sauté for about 5 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir to combine with all the vegetables and let it roast for a minute or two before adding the potatoes. Add the potatoes and stir to coat in the oil and other vegetables, add some more salt and pepper, and let them cook for about 2 minutes. Now add enough broth to cover the potatoes, cover the pot, turn the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are almost fork tender. Stir occasionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom and add more broth or water if needed.

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When the potatoes are almost fork tender, add the pasta and enough broth or water to cover. Season with some more salt and stir everything. Turn the heat up to a strong simmer and cook, uncovered, until the pasta is al dente. Add more broth or water as needed to keep the pasta cooking and adjust for your desired consistency. Stir occasionally to keep things from sticking to the bottom.

Once cooked and your level of soupiness is achieved, remove it from the heat, and allow it to cool slightly. Serve in a bowl and garnish with grated pecorino Romano if desired.

💭 Frequently Asked Questions

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📋 Recipe