Soup week continues with another yummy recipe – pasta e fagioli. The name of the recipe means “beans and pasta” in Italian and is one of my favorite dishes to order when out at an Italian restaurant. I also love to make this dish at home. Today’s recipe is one I learned from my mom.
I use ground beef in my Pasta E Fagioli just like my mom and my family loves it that way. However, if you want even more flavor, Italian sausage is a great substitute. If I was making the soup just for me, I would love it with some mild Italian sausage. You could even use hot sausage if you like a nice kick. You could even use spicy V8 juice for another punch of flavor.
Pasta E Fagioli
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (or Italian sausage for even more flavor)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ⅓ cup julienne cut carrots
- 3 stalks of celery, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, undrained
- 1 (15 oz) can Northern Beans or Cannellini beans, undrained
- 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
- 1 (12 oz) bottle V8 original vegetable juice
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 6 oz dry ditalini or small shell pasta
- Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or dutch oven, brown ground beef along with diced onion, the julienne carrots, diced celery, and garlic until meat is browned and fully cooked. Drain off any grease.
- Then add the tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, V8, vinegar, salt pepper, oregano, and thyme to the meat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
- While the soup simmers, bring another pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to pkg directions. Drain and add to the soup just before serving. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 12.
I love seeing recipes that are family favorites, especially ones that have been passed around multiple generations!
Very much the same recipe I use, although my husband and I decided we rather like ground turkey in it. (Healthier option) Yum! think I’m going to go make some! I also start most of it in the crockpot in the morning and add cooked noodles just before serving.
Laura, this sounds GOOD! Thank for sharing your mom’s recipe!
What a great comfort food, can’t wait to try on a cold day!