Pasta e Fagioli Recipe - Five Spot Green Living

Pasta e Fagioli for a Quick and Easy Meal

I am not a huge fan of soup, but this pasta e fagioli passes the test. It’s easy, healthy and really, really yummy. It’s even kid-friendly! I froze this ahead of time – everything but the sauce and pasta. So when you have a busy evening and need a quick meal to be ready, you can just put this in the crockpot in the morning and it will be ready to go when the dinner rush rolls around.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
1lb ground beef
2 dried bay leaves
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
1 cup dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight (or 2 cans)
1 can canned tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 quart chicken stock
1 1/2 cups ditalini
Grated Parmigiano or Romano, for the table
Crusty bread, for mopping
Instructions
Heat a deep pot over medium high heat and add oil and meat. Brown the meat and add bay leaf, chopped vegetables, and garlic.
Add to crockpot and season with salt and pepper.
Add beans, tomato sauce, water, and stock to crockpot and set heat to low.
Add dry pasta and cook for 6-8 hours.