Quick Italian Bean & Pasta Soup

It was nearly noon on a overcast and dreary Sunday. My darling hubby and toddler were both hungry and I wanted to make them something healthy and filling, so I opted for soup. 

I know, I know, It's spring and we're all thinking of grilled everything, but I love soup because 1) you can use nearly any veggies you have on hand, so it's a great way to use up veggies that are just beyond their peak of freshness; 2) it's an easy way to get myself and my family to eat more veggies; and, 3) it's easy to make a healthy soup, which is not always the case with other dishes. 

This recipe turned out to be really quick and easy. I based it on what I had on hand and the fact that I wanted it to be super fast.

A few pantry staples make this a quick soup. First up, a jar of precooked beans. I know it's cheaper to buy dried beans, and I do buy and cook them. However, I've also found that keeping a couple of jars on hand (usually one of each brown and white beans) can serve as a terrific start to a quick week night dinner or, in this case, a great ingredient. 

Second is minced garlic from a jar. I know, I know, chefs wouldn't dream of it and many of my foodie friends would be horrified. BUT, I absolutely hate to chop garlic, it's messy, sticky, makes your hands smell and most of all, it's terribly time consuming when you have to do it over and over if you cook alot. My other alternative is to roast garlic and then preserve the cloves in a jar covered in olive oil. I do this if I find really fresh, good looking garlic, but that rarely happens here. So, I opt for the jar. 

Next up is Soup Base. I buy Tone's brand as it doesn't contain MSG. I occasionally keep chicken stock boxes on hand, but this is much more economical and takes up less space. Plus, it keeps forever in the fridge. I keep both chicken and beef on hand. You can make as little as a cup or as much as an entire vat. It's a super pantry staple. 

Finally, onion powder. This has become a must have in my spice cabinet. It's amazing the way just a little onion powder, even in recipes that also contain fresh onion, rounds out a dish and takes it to another level. This is a recent discovery (in the past couple of years), but now I cannot cook without it!

The Results

The results of my soup experiment were better than expected - I can't say that for all of my soup attempts - hubby had 2 bowls and my toddler loved it. 

I served this with Rosemary potato bread from Kroger. If you catch a sale of day old bread in their bakery it's quite a bargain. I just bring it home and wrap it in foil and freeze it until I need it. When I'm ready to use it, I place it in a preheated 350 oven on a baking sheet for 20-30 minutes. It comes out perfect and was a terrific accompaniment for this soup.

Lisa Italian Bean & Pasta Soup

• 1/2 large red onion, small dice
• 2 medium carrots, small dice
• 1 celery stalk, small dice
• 7 cups water
• 2 tbsp Tone's Chicken Soup Base (you can find it @ Sam's Club)
• 1 bay leaf
• few sprigs fresh time
• 1/4 tsp ground time
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp dried parsley, crushed in your hand before adding to the pot
• pinch of saffron threads
• heaping teaspoon of minced garlic (from a jar is fine)
• 1 16 oz jar Randells Great Northern Beans, drained (2 can of beans will work too)
• 3 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach
• 1 heaping cup of pasta, any shape
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• Fresh grated parmesan, to garnish individual servings, if desired
• Good EVOO, to drizzle over individual servings, if desired

Heat a medium size heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add onion, carrot and celery along with a pinch of salt. Allow veggies to cook until the onion is translucent. Add water and chicken soup base. Stir to combine. Add herbs and spices stirring to combine. Turn the heat up to medium-high and allow to come to a boil. 

Once the soup has come to a boil, add the pasta and stir to ensure it doesn't stick. Stir often and test the pasta halfway through the cooking time indicated on the box - I constantly find that the time indicated on pasta boxes is way off, so testing throughout the cooking process is necessary to avoid overcooked pasta that falls apart. 

When pasta is tender, add beans and spinach. Stir to combine and allow to cook until spinach is wilted. Taste soup and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve in individual bowls with slices of bread. Top with parmesan and/or EVOO if desired.

~Enjoy!