Hearty Pasta e Fagioli

As the days get shorter and the temperatures cooler, I find myself craving comfort food.  This heartier version of a familiar dish hits the spot!!

 This recipe is a twist on the Pasta e Fagioli soup you may have had at Olive Garden.  The twist is adding less liquid to make it more hearty and less soupy. This is a homemade version with the same great flavors and it can be made with or without meat. This makes a great weeknight dinner.

 Most of the prep involves opening cans and dicing vegetables. You can substitute kidney beans and cannellini beans for the pinto and great white northern beans if you prefer. Don't leave out the Frank's RedHot sauce it adds some great flavor, without much heat. You can find it in the condiment aisle of the grocery store.

 This recipe makes enough for 6-8 people, and can't be easily reduced so we had some leftover.  I take my lunch to work everyday and most days it's a pb and j sandwich or a frozen 

diet meal ....unless we have leftovers.  So this gave me a few days of yummy lunches!

Pasta e Fagioli

1 teaspoon oil

1 lb. ground beef

2 large carrots, thinly sliced

1 small onion, diced

2 stalks of celery, sliced

2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (16 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (16 oz) great northern beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups broth, vegetable or beef

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon pepper

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon Frank's RedHot sauce

1 jar (24 oz) spaghetti sauce

8 ounces dry pasta, ditalini or shell

Heat oil in large pot.  Add beef and cook until browned. Add carrots, onion, celery and tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients to the pot (beans, broth, Italian herbs, pepper, parsley, Frank's sauce, spaghetti sauce and noodles).  

Simmer for about 45 minutes.  Until pasta is cooked, carrots and celery are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Serves 6-8