My Take on Pasta Fagioli

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Saute for a couple minutes and then add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes (it doesn’t hurt to add a little salt and a dash of pepper at this point). Saute for about five minutes longer until carrots and celery are tender but not completely soft. They’ll soften more as they simmer with the rest of the ingredients. Now add your tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. Give it a good stir and gradually add the chicken stock. Turn heat to medium and cook uncovered for about five minutes. Check for salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium low and cover and simmer for another half hour, stirring occasionally. Make sure not to overcook the carrots and celery. I like to leave mine al dente.

Place cooked pasta in the bottom of a soup bowl, ladle warm soup over pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. The more cheese the better. Serve with a crisp green salad and extra crusty French bread for dipping.

Note: I sometimes add a teaspoon or two of extra bouillon to give soup a richer flavor. It’s totally up to you on what you want to do. If you’re watching your sodium intake you might want to skip this step. I promise, you won’t hurt my feelings.