Pasta Fagiole

I made a pot of Pasta Fagiole a few weeks ago, back when the high temp here in Madison was something like...5...yeah...5 whole degrees. This hearty soup was an excellent stick-to-the-ribs, heat-you-up-from-the-inside-out kind of meal which was perfect for those frigid days.

I added macaroni noodles to my Pasta Fagiole, as I couldn't find ditalini pasta. I actually overdid it on the amount I added. They sopped up a lot of liquid and expanded a lot. So, err on the side of caution if you don't want a noodle-ey soup.

The recipe I found calls for italian sausage, which I subbed for for ground beef, but add what you've got on hand.

The recipe is adapted from the Brown Eyed Baker.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can white cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
• 32 oz. beef broth
• 14 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 oz. small dry pasta (I used macaroni noodles)

Directions

1. In a large stockpot over high heat, brown ground beef, crumbling it as it cooks. Once brown, remove ground beef from pot with a slotted spoon. Discard all but 1/2 tablespoon of the ground beef fat.
2. In the same pot, and add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery, and saute over medium heat until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add ground beef back to the pot, add the can of diced tomatoes (do not drain), stir briefly, and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the beans, and add the beef broth and tomato sauce. Add in all of the seasonings, stir well, turn the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn down to low heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
4. Add the dry pasta and continue to simmer on low for another 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite bread or crackers.