• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes, broken up by hand
  • 2 qt. low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tsp. Italian herbs or a mixture of thyme, basil and oreegano
  • 2 cans cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 c. orzo, Acini di Pepe, Farfilline or Stelette pasta

I began making thsi soup years ago after enjoying it at a local Italian restaurant. Pasta e Fagioli, or “pasta and beans”, is a traditional meatless Italian dish. Easy to prepare, this soup is great on cold, rainy days, like today served with some good crusty bread or our family’s favorite stromboli!

Rinse beans and set one can aside. Place your second can, also drained and rinsed, in a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Set aside.

In a Dutch oven, saute onion, garlic and red crushed pepper flakes until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes and chicken stock and simmer for ten minutes. Add beans. Use a potato masher to mash the beans and the tomatoes a bit and pasta until the pasta is cooked-about 5 minutes.