Pasta Fagioli

Oh my goodness, this stuff is good. It's not the type of soup I usually gravitate toward, but the picture on Pinterest looked tasty. So I gave it a shot, and YU-UM. It's perfect for a cold night, and it's stuffed with protein and starch, so it'll fill you up well!


Photo courtesy of Fake Ginger
The following is the recipe as I made it, based on the original recipe found here.

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1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled & chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 lb mild Italian chicken sausage (casings removed)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed
1 cup elbow macaroni
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
OPTIONAL: red pepper flakes
OPTIONAL: handful of chopped green onion for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until it just begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots; cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the sausage to the pot, crumbling as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink. Stir in herbs. Stir in tomatoes and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Stir in the beans and macaroni. Simmer for 6- 8 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese, green onion and red pepper flakes, if desired.

(Oh, by the way, this makes four huge bowls!)