Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta e Fagioli is an Italian soup with pasta and beans. It is a comforting dish to make during any season and inexpensive to make.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, Tuscan Herb flavored olive oil is amazing in this recipe.
- 1 pound ground beef , or ground turkey
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 32 ounces chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 15 ounces stewed tomatoes
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil, or 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 15 ounces dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or great northern beans)
- 1 cup dry pasta, ditalini or small shells
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded for garnish
Instructions
- Put one tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Remove the meat and drain on a paper towel. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven and add the onions, carrots and celery. Saute for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Many recipes begin with mirepoix, which is onion, celery and carrots cut to the same size. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the ground beef back to the pot, along with the chicken stock, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and water. Continue cooking for 20 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the pasta and the cheese. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the soup is cooking, cook the pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes. Strain and add the cooked pasta to the soup. Allow the soup to simmer until the pasta is fully cooked and you are ready to eat.
- Stir in some chopped spinach or kale just before serving, if desired. Recipe makes 6 servings.
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven or large soup pot, 4 quarts
Nutrition
Calories: 510kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 31gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 1012mgPotassium: 1170mgFiber: 12gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 4109IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 191mgIron: 7mg