Pasta e Fagioli Soup

This is a delicious version of Olive Garden's Pasta Fagioli.
To make gluten free you can use rice noodles(make sure you cook them seperate so they do not fall apart) or eliminate them all together. Or go meatless! Either way this is a hardly delious soup!


Ingredients:
1lb ground beef (I used 90/10 grass fed)
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 large carrot, chopped (1 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
28oz can crushed tomatoes
15oz can tomato sauce
15oz can beef broth (plus more for heating)
15oz can red kidney beans (with liquid)
15oz can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2×2″ parmesan rind (optional)
8oz dry ditalini pasta
Directions:
1. Brown ground beef in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until no longer pink, lightly seasoning with salt & pepper. Drain then return to the pot. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, lightly season with salt & pepper, then saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the pasta, then simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
2. When the soup has 10 minutes left to simmer, cook pasta in salted boiling water until just under al dente. Drain then add to the soup and simmer for 5-10 more minutes. Remove parmesan cheese rind, then serve.

http://iowagirleats.com/2012/09/13/copycat-olive-garden-pasta-e-fagioli-soup/