Pasta Fagioli

We've had some below average temps for awhile, so I thought I'd warm us with a little soup.  The first time I had a Pasta Fagioli soup was at Olive Garden a looooonnnnggg time ago.  Later Daryl found a recipe online claiming to be O.G.'s but it doesn't taste the same.  It does however, taste wonderful!  I actually prefer this one over the restaurant's.  You'll notice it has a jar of spaghetti sauce.  I thought it was weird when I first made the soup, but it just works.  I think I've mentioned in previous posts that I don't like a brothy soup -- I like it chunky and hearty -- so here's my version of the recipe I found online years ago:

 

1.25 lbs ground beef

1 Tbl olive oil

1 med-large onion, diced

3-5 carrots, chopped

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 cans diced tomato

2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

44 oz beef stock or broth

1.5 tsp dried basil (or italian seasoning)

1.25 tsp pepper

2 teaspoons dried parsley

24 oz jar spaghetti sauce

a few shakes of hot sauce

elbow or shell pasta

 

Brown ground beef in a skillet.  In 6+ qt dutch oven/stockpot add oil, onion, celery and carrot.  Cook about 5-10 minutes.  When ground beef is done browning, drain fat and add beef to vegetable mixture.  Add tomato, beans, stock. seasonings, pasta sauce, and hot sauce.  Bring to boiling, then simmer for about 45 minutes.  In a separate pot, cook pasta according to package directions.  Serve soup over pasta. 

 

~ Enjoy ~