Ingredients
1 lb Ground beef lean
1 tbsp Olive oil
2 med Carrots diced into small cubes
1 lg Yellow Onion diced into small cubes- 1 Celery stalk diced into small cubes
3 cloves Garlic minced- 15 oz Diced tomatoes canned, undrained
- 15 oz Tomato sauce canned
4 cups Chicken broth low sodium, plus extra if needed- 15 oz Great Northern beans canned; drained and rinsed
- 15 oz Kidney beans canned; drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Ditalini pasta dry
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp Salt or less, to taste
1 tsp Black pepper adjust to taste
2 tbsp Fresh basil chopped, optional
Instructions
- Brown the beef in the oil, breaking it into crumbles, until it reaches 160°F (71°C). Transfer to a bowl and spoon away excess fat.
- Soften carrot, onion and celery in the pot for 5–7 minutes. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
- Return beef and add tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, Italian seasoning and drained canned beans. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Stir in dry ditalini. Simmer, stirring often, for its package cooking time, until pasta and vegetables are tender. Add hot broth if the soup becomes too thick.
- Taste before adding salt and pepper. Divide into bowls and finish with fresh basil, if using.
Notes
Adapted from Natalya Drozhzhin’s Pasta e Fagioli on Natasha’s Kitchen. Use canned, cooked beans; dried beans cannot be substituted directly.
Salt depends on the broth and canned products; start lightly and adjust at the table. Pasta absorbs liquid as it stands. Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours, use within 3 days and reheat to 165°F (74°C), adding broth as needed.
