What's Cookin' Good Lookin'? Quick Pasta Fagioli Soup

Soup’s on again in this edition of “What’s Cookin’” blog posts with my all-time favorite “Pasta” Fagioli Recipe. I am loosely calling it Pasta Fagioli at this point, since now that I eat a gluten-free diet, I must make substitutions, which I will address later on in this post.

My mom made this soup when I was growing up, and it was a frequently requested favorite in our home. It is a hearty and filling soup, which could easily stand alone at the dinner table served alongside a green salad and a slice of warm, crusty bread. It can also be served in smaller portions to start off a larger meal. It is very quick, very easy, and budget friendly—yet your dinner guests will never guess this! It is a definite crowd pleaser for company and a nearly fail-proof recipe to impress a special guest or dinner date. When I moved away from home in 2003, this was one of the first recipes I requested to have from my mom. I have been cooking on my own for eight years now, and maintained a gluten free kitchen for nearly the last two. Mom’s recipe has seen some additions and alterations in my kitchen, but before I go into that, here’s the original version:

Quick Pasta Fagioli

Ingredients:

· 2 TBSP olive oil

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 1 yellow onion, peeled & chopped

· 1 carrot, peeled & chopped*

· 1 celery stalk with leaves, chopped*

· 1 TBSP dried rosemary

· 2 TBSP tomato paste***

· 1 can (10 ½ oz) condensed chicken broth**

· 1 soup can ^ full of water

· 2 cans (15-20 oz each) beans (i.e. kidney, cannellini, great northern, etc.) UNDRAINED

· 4 oz small pasta**

Additions: freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; sauté for about 3-5 minutes.

2. Stir in rosemary and tomato paste. Add the chicken broth and water, and the beans with their liquid. Simmer uncovered for 3 minutes.

3. Stir in pasta. Cover the pot and simmer, stirring occasionally for 8 to 10 minutes to cook pasta al dente.

4. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

*To save on money and food waste, if you are not planning to use a full 2lb bag of carrots or celery in your menu this week, most grocery stores sell carrots and celery stalks in bulk so you can purchase just what you need for this recipe.

**Since I like to top my soup with freshly grated parmesan cheese and (for the purpose of keeping kosher) do not mix meat and dairy, I substitute vegetable stock for the chicken broth and water. I either add about 3 cups of vegetable stock from a carton or use vegetable stock starter/bouillon and water.

***Even though tomato paste comes in very small cans, you will still end up with quite a bit leftover. I often add a bit more to the recipe, but the leftovers are great for enhancing homemade tomato sauces, other soups, stews, chili recipes, etc.

This soup reheats quite nicely, but thickens quite a bit. You may need to add a little water or additional broth when reheating.

My Additions/Alterations:

I successfully gave up all wheat/gluten and feel significantly better for it, but I simply can’t give up this recipe! And I don’t have to—it works wonderfully well using rice instead of pasta. You could also substitute a small gluten-free rice or corn pasta product, but since these run on the pricey side, I am more prone to adding rice. Note that with the addition of uncooked rice, you will have to simmer the soup for a longer time. You could remedy that by using instant rice or adding rice you have already cooked toward the very end of cooking.

This is a soup that can satisfy in all seasons. During the summer, try adding zucchini or yellow squash or even fresh tomatoes from your garden or local Farmers’ Market. Thaw out a package of frozen spinach for some added color and nutritional benefit. Have fun, be creative and enjoy!

This batch contains rice instead of pasta, and the addition of spinach. I used 1 can of cannellini beans and a can of butter beans I’d accidentally bought a while back. Aside from being HUGE, the butter beans worked perfectly in terms of flavor and texture.