Pasta E Fagioli Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 3 cloves garlic, minced, 1 Tbsp
• 3 cans tomato sauce
• 2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water, then more as desired
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry ditalini pasta
• 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• Finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese, for serving
• 3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Warm 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot set over medium high heat. Add the ground beef or sausage, breaking it up as it cooks, and stir now and then until no longer raw. Pour off the fat, move the meat to a plate, and set it aside.
2. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to that same pot. Stir in the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook over medium-high heat until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Pour in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, water, canned tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, and marjoram, then return the cooked beef to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring everything up to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 15 – 20 minutes.
4. While the soup simmers, cook the ditalani pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain it, then stir the pasta into the soup along with the kidney beans and great northern beans. If you want a looser soup, add a little more broth or water.
5. Cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the parsley, then serve warm with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.