Ingredients
– Ground beef, at least 80% lean (can substitute half with Italian sausage)
– 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
– 1 1/2 cups yellow onion chopped
– 1 cup carrots diced (about 2 medium)
– 1 cup celery chopped (about 3 stalks)
– 3 cloves garlic minced (approximately 1 tablespoon)
– 3 cans of 8 ounces each canned tomato sauce
– 2 cans of 14.5 ounces each canned diced tomatoes
– 2 cans of 14.5 ounces each low-sodium chicken broth
– 1/2 cup water plus additional if needed
– 1 can of 15 ounces kidney beans drained and rinsed
– 1 can of 15 ounces great northern beans drained and rinsed
– 2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
– 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
– 2 teaspoons dried oregano
– 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
– 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
– 1 cup dry ditalini pasta (can substitute with macaroni or orzo)
– 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
– Parmesan or Romano cheese finely shredded for serving
– Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
1-Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Crumble in the ground beef and cook until fully cooked. Drain fat and remove beef from pot.
2-Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the pot. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until tender, about 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
3-Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, water, canned diced tomatoes, sugar, dried herbs, and the cooked beef back into the pot. Season with salt and pepper.
4-Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally.
5-Cook ditalini pasta separately according to package instructions until al dente and drain.
6-Add cooked pasta and both types of beans to the soup. If necessary, thin soup with additional broth or water. Cook together for 1 more minute.
7-Stir in fresh parsley and serve warm, topped with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🥣 Store cooked pasta separately when refrigerating leftovers to prevent sogginess; add pasta only when serving.
⏲️ For slow cooker use, sauté beef and onions first, then combine with other ingredients (except pasta) and cook on low for 4 hours; add cooked pasta before serving.
❄️ Soup freezes well up to 3 months; freeze soup and pasta separately and thaw overnight before reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Balanced
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 12 grams
- Sodium: 718 mg
- Fat: 14 grams
- Saturated Fat: 4 grams
- Carbohydrates: 70 grams
- Fiber: 13 grams
- Protein: 35 grams
- Cholesterol: 49 mg