This year for my Dad’s Christmas present, I’m including a dozen+ frozen dinners. Chili, beef stew, pot roast, and tonight’s installment:

Pasta e Fagioli Soup

• 1 lb ground beef*
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• ¼ tsp thyme
• 1 small onion, diced
• 8 oz carrots, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 2-14 oz cans diced tomatoes or tomato puree
• 15 oz can red kidney beans
• 15 oz can white northern beans
• 16 oz chicken broth*
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• ¼ to ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 small bay leaf (remove before serving)
• 8 oz ditali or small shell pasta

large saucepan or dutch oven 

In saucepan, brown beef, add spices and mix in well with meat, add onion, carrots, celery and garlic, and sauté 3-5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except pasta) and let simmer 30 minutes on a medium, stirring frequently.  Add pasta to soup, simmer on low for additional 10 minutes, until pasta is al dente.

*if you want to keep it vegetarian, substitute a meaty mushroom for the ground beef (saute with broth or butter) and vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

If you think this is similar to one of the Olive Garden’s soups, it is. It’s also fairly easy to put together and hearty on a cold November night.