White Bean and Pasta Soup

Did you survive your food coma yesterday?  What is it about Thanksgiving that makes it socially acceptable to shove your face with food?  Perhaps it’s because there is so much delicious food served in one day.  Yes, let’s go with that.

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I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling guilty about all the calories that I consumed yesterday.  I suppose I could have done worse.  I made apple pie (coming to the blog soon!) and I only ate it for dessert.  I say “only” because I could have also gobbled it down for breakfast, pre-dinner snack, or pretty much just taken a fork to the pie plate all day long.  When you look at it that way, I’m winning today.  😉  Sorry, I got pie on the brain still.  Can you blame me?  Thanksgiving should be called ThanksForPie Day (with a side of turkey).

I wanted a healthy and easy soup to help ease me out of my calorie fest so I came up with this simple concoction.  My husband says it’s really a pasta e fagioli.  He’s right since it literally means pasta and beans.  However, I made a bangin’ Pasta Fagioli Soup last year with meat and veggies in it so I can’t also call this one pasta fagioli too.  Let’s face it, there are a bazillion pasta fagioli renditions out there and I can’t call all of them pasta fagioli.  Plus, this soup screams beans and pasta because that’s all it really is (hence the name).

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These white beans and little bits of pasta are chilling out in a tomato based broth.  This soup is super hearty so get your bread, crackers or whatever you like to dunk into your soup.  Sadly we had none in the house, except for English muffins.  I threw some butter, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder on top and toasted those bad boys up as a form of garlic bread.  I know, it’s pretty ghetto-tacular, but it was totally delicious and totally necessary.  I added some Parmesan cheese on top… yes, it’s also required.  🙂

You could even take tortilla chips to this party.  When I was reheating a batch the other night, my husband dunked some straight into the cold container, eating it like a funky salsa.  Yup, he likes this that much.

Fresh rosemary is totally appropriate to use this time of the year.  You know, because it smells like a pine tree… as in Christmas pine trees.  Please use the fresh stuff for this recipe though otherwise you’re really not being as seasonally appropriate.  😉

My husband and I have been having this “rosemary debate” all week.  He thinks one teaspoon of the herb is enough for the pot (which is what is called for in the recipe).  I think more is better.

Isn’t more always better?  Perhaps not always with herbs, but it definitely is with pie.  😉

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White Bean And Pasta Soup Recipe
(About 4 to 6 servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup small pasta (I used Ditalini pasta)
  • 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, over Medium heat, heat the oil.
  2. Stir in the diced onion and cook until softened.  (About 8 minutes.)
  3. Stir in the minced garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes.
  4. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes (including the liquid), the vegetable broth, and the water.  Bring the soup to a high simmer.
  5. Add in the small pasta.  The pasta should be uncooked.  Cook according to the directions on the box.  (The Ditalini cooks for 6 minutes.)  The pasta should be al dente at the end of this step.
  6. Lower the heat to the lowest setting on your stove, and stir in the cannellini beans.  Cook for another 20 minutes.  (Don’t cut the time on this step because the rosemary needs a bit of time to infuse all its flavor into the pot.  In fact, the more it sits, the more flavor will pop.)

Note:  This is a hearty soup so there is not a lot of broth to it.  Over time the beans and pasta will soak up the broth and water.  Therefore, if you re-heat leftovers (and you like a brothy soup), you may need to add more broth or water.  Add as much or as little as you want, to your liking.

Source:  Tina’s Chic Corner

 

Rating:

4 Hats

 

Here are some other hearty soups.

Pasta Fagioli Soup

05Pasta e Fagioli

Italian Tortellini Soup

05Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup

Hearty Italian Sausage Soup

06Hearty Italian Sausage Soup

 

Comments

  1. Mary Frances says:

    Tis soup season and I couldn’t be happier! Mmm yum I love dunkable soup 🙂 The white bean and pasta combo sounds amazing!

    1. Tina says:

      Thanks so much Mary Frances! 🙂

      1. denny says:

        I love you Tina…. and the soups too!!!!!!!!:-)

  2. Yum! This looks amazing and substantial! I love white beans 🙂

    1. Tina says:

      Thanks so much!

  3. This looks a really hearty soup. Vegan and can fill my boys up. Sounds like a great easy meal. We are celebrating Thanksgiving today and as you can see I am pretty laid back about the whole thing. I best start venturing into the kitchen to start the day.

    1. Tina says:

      I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving holiday, Bam! xoxo

  4. I’m still in a food coma I think!! I need to try this soup – something light sounds so good to me right now after gorging myself all weekend long.

    1. Tina says:

      That’s what I’m talking about. 🙂

  5. I love how just by looking at this warmth in a bowl I feel comforted!!!! It’s just such a perfect way to bring in the winter and the upcoming festivities! Could eat this for dinner every single day! <3

    1. Tina says:

      You are so sweet! Thank you much. 🙂

  6. Ohhh I love this! I really love white beans, I think they add such great flavor and texture! I can’t wait to make this!

    1. Tina says:

      I totally agree! I hope you love this soup as much as we do. 🙂

  7. Jeane' Ridges says:

    Used 1/2 tsp of dried thyme instead of Rosemary and added 1/2 a pound of lean ground turkey cooked with chili and garlic powder. I also ommited the onion and blended the tomatoes with the broth and water before simmering and adding in pasta. Enjoying every bite of this delicious, hearty soup right now :). Love cannellini beans. Thank you for posting.

    1. Tina says:

      That sounds amazing! I love that you made the recipe your own. Thank you so much for stopping by and for letting me know that you love it!! 🙂

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