Pasta Bean Soup Recipe: Pasta Fagioli Soup

Hearty Italian pasta and bean soup recipe, easy and crockpot friendly

Use fresh picked green beans for pasta fagioli, if you can get them - they're plentiful at farmers markets in summer and fall. In a pinch, use frozen beans, but add them to the soup 20 minutes before serving.

4 Servings Pasta Fagioli: This is a thick pasta bean soup, almost a stew. Make it more soupy by adding more stock or liquid - just be sure to increase the seasonings too, especially salt.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced celery or fennel bulb
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, 1 - 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 small carrots, sliced thin
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 2 ripe plum tomatoes peeled & chopped, or 1 sm. can tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste, or 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup cooked kidney beans (to cook your own, see basic bean recipe
• 8 oz cooked pasta - elbows or small shells are nice
• 2 - 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, peeled & minced
• 1/2 tsp ground fennel seed
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
• 1 tsp dried basil OR 1 Tbsp fresh minced
• 1 tsp dried marjoram OR 1 Tbsp fresh minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil or Italian parsley for garnish
• 4 cups soup stock and-or bean cooking liquid. Make instant soup stock with a vegan bouillon cube or veggie flavoring such as Mrs. Dash

Directions:

1. Put 4 qts salted water on to boil for the pasta
2. Heat the oil on low in a 6 - 8 quart pan
3. Prep the veggies
4. Add the minced garlic to the oil and heat on medium low until lightly browned
5. Add the carrots, celery or fennel, green beans, & chopped fresh tomatoes if using, and sauté 5 minutes on med/high heat
6. Add the herbs and spices, sauté briefly
7. Add the soup stock and-or bean cooking water, or water & veggie cubes
8. Drain and rinse the kidney beans, then add to pot
9. Add tomato paste or tomato sauce, cover and simmer until veggies are tender
10. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water for 7 minutes, rinse with cold water & set aside
11. Add the pasta, frozen peas and-or beans to the soup, salt and pepper to taste
12. Cook for 20 more minutes, adding more water or stock as desired
13. Serve garnished with fresh basil or Italian parsley
14. Optional: Add grated Parmesan or soy parmesan cheese

Slow Cooker or Crockpot Directions:

After sautéing the veggies (or not), combine everything except the cooked pasta and frozen veg to the slow cooker or crockpot. Cook covered on low for six - eight hours. Turn the crockpot to high, and add the frozen veg and cooked pasta in the last 20 minutes of cooking