Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Full of vegetables and hearty flavors from bacon and sausage, this soup is perfect for dinner. Serve with some crusty bread and a big salad!
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- 1 onion, medium diced
- 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (I used mild)
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 (28 ounce) can roasted, crushed tomatoes
- 2 (14 ounce) cans canellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (10 ounce - weight) box frozen, chopped spinach
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dry parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or 2 teaspoons dry crushed basil
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup (approximately 5 ounces weight) salad pasta or small shells
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon is lightly browned and fat has been rendered.
- Lower heat to medium. Add onions and garlic to bacon. Stir and cook for approximately one minute.
- Add the ground Italian sausage. Stir all together and cook until onions are translucent and sausage is no longer pink.
- Stir in the chicken broth, water, crushed tomatoes, beans, spinach (does not have to be thawed), oregano, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. (Do not add fresh herbs, if using, at this time.) Raise heat and bring soup to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, put the lid on the pot and lower the heat enough to keep the soup at a simmer for about thirty minutes.
- Stir in the fresh parsley, fresh basil, and the pasta. Bring soup back to a boil and cook until pasta is al dente. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh grated parmesan cheese, if desired.