Crafting A Blissful Bungalow
~ Cultivating Creativity for Daily Living ~
TM
A Note Before You Start
The original recipe does not call for a parmesan rind to be added to the soup while it's simmering. This is something I added and personally, I think it ramps up the flavor of this soup. I store my parmesan rinds in the freezer for exactly this purpose. I also prefer small white beans as opposed to dark red kidney beans which this recipe calls for. I have also used 1 Tbsp of dried Italian seasoning in place of all the dried spices.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 lb of lean ground beef or turkey
1 ½ cups of diced yellow onion
1 cup of diced carrots
1 cup of diced celery
2 tsp of minced garlic
3 8oz cans of tomato sauce
16 oz of chicken stock
1 15oz can of diced tomatoes
½ cup of water (only if needed)
2 tsp of granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp of dried basil
1 tsp of dried oregano
¾ tsp of dried thyme
½ tsp of dried marjoram
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup of dried ditalini pasta
1 15 oz can of small white beans; drained and rinsed
3 Tbsp of freshly chopped parsley
1 parmesan rind (optional)
Preparation
Step 1: Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the ground beef (or turkey) and break up the meat as it cooks. Transfer the cooked meat to a plate and set aside. Remove any excess fat from the pot.
Step 2: Heat the remaining olive oil in the pot and add the onions, carrots, celery and saute over medium high heat until tender; about 6 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute one minute longer.
Step 3: Add the chicken stock, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, sugar, dried spices, cooked beef and the parmesan rind (if using) to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low and let it simmer, stirring accordingly for 20 minutes.
Step 4: In a separate pot, fill with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Then drain, and add it to the simmering soup pot. Add the beef, beans and the parsley and simmer for 3-5 more minutes. Remove the parmesan rind before serving. Top with grated parmesan if desired.
Better than Grandma's!!!
Theresa S.