This is one of my favorite soups! It is like minestrone, but I prefer fagioli because it has meat and extra vegetables – it is just a little bit heartier and has a greater depth in flavor. I always serve with parmesan on top and a warm, crusty baguette cut into slices. Dunking the baguette into the soup is fantastic!
The other thing I love about this recipe is that it cooks all day in the slow cooker and so easy to make. You even add in the pasta and beans toward the end, so you don’t have to cook the pasta separately. There is very little effort for a meal that will satisfy, warm you on cold evenings, and you might just have leftovers!
This soup makes fantastic leftovers! It tastes just as good, if not better, the next day!
Ingredients :
1 pound extra lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
1 can (14 to 15 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
1 can (14 to 15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 to 15 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups beef broth
1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) tomato-basil marinara or pasta sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons oregano
¾ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1-1/4 cups dry pasta (I used fusilli, but shells or ditalini would work well), cooked separately according to the package directions.
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional for serving
Grated Parmesan, optional for serving
Preparation:
Stir together the cooked and drained ground beef, onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, beans, broth, pasta sauce, oregano, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours, or until the vegetables are as tender as you like them.
When ready to serve, stir the cooked pasta into the soup. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and herbs to suit your tastes.
Serve with grated parmesan and a sprinkling of fresh parsley if desired.