Pasta e Fagioli aka Pasta “Fazool”
I really like Italian food. According to my mother it’s always been that way.
In her womb, I demanded it.
When she was pregnant with me, she said, she craved anything with pasta and tomatoes. I believe her. I like tomatoes hot, cold, sliced, diced, stewed, sauced, fried or jammed. They’re comfort food for me.
Therefore, I like the Olive Garden. I affectionately refer to it as “The O. G.”
And although chain restaurants are not my first choice for a dinner out, I am especially fond of this chain. They please me so easily. For instance, for a meager fee, you can have a feast of soup and salad. They’ll refill your bowl time and time again and with any of their soups, too.
My favorite has been the Zuppa Toscana with it’s hearty potatoes and sausage. Naturally, I made my own version. You can find that here. But this here post is about my copy cat edition of their Pasta e Fagioli or pasta and bean, chili-like soup. It’s hot and tasty, just the way I like em.
| Pasta Fagioli | Print |
- 1lb Ground Turkey
- 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 gloves of garlic minced
- 2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 can of red kidney beans
- 1 can of white cannelloni beans or great northern beans
- 3 cups of water
- 1 tsp of chili powder
- salt
- black pepper
- ditali pasta
- Add the oil a pot and once it's hot, toss in the diced onion and garlic. Saute briefly, then add the meat. Add chili powder, salt and pepper.
- Cook the meat with the onions and garlic until it is browned.
- Add in the tomatoes, including the juice and let simmer for about 5 minutes to combine the flavors and allow the meat to soak up the tomato juice.
- Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the pot. Add the water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper as needed.
- In a separate pot, bring water to a boil for your pasta. Salt the water. Add your pasta and cook it for about 10 to 12 minutes until it's al dente. Drain the water and rinse the pasta with cool water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
- When you are ready to serve. Add a spoonful of pasta to the bottom of your bowl, then top with the soup. I
