Italian Pasta & Bean Soup

It's perfect soup weather isn't it? So cozy up to the table and enjoy a bowl of warmth with us. This week I chose an Italian Pasta & Bean Soup recipe that I found in the November 2010 issue of Woman's Day. I chose it for it's simplicity and ease. I found it to be a quick, pleasing dinner to create on the nights we have hockey and basketball practices or for lunch on days like today. It's beautiful outside and they don't want to take their skates off and come in. Let's take lunch out to them instead!

Italian Pasta & Bean Soup

Woman's Day November 2010 

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

6 cups reduced -sodium chicken broth

(I used 3 Knorr bouillion cubes and 6 cups water)

1 1/2 cups farfallini (bow tie pasta)

2 cans cannellini beans rinsed and drained

1 can 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes in juice

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup grated Parmesan 

1.) Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes or until light golden. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

2.) Add broth and bring to a boil.  Add pasta and cook 5 minutes.

3.)  Stir in beans and tomatoes; cook 4 minutes or until pasta is tender. Remove from heat.

4.) Stir in parsley, cheese and remaining 2 tsp. oil.

The best part of this soup is that the ingredients were everything I always have on hand in my cupboards. So fast to prepare and a ton better than canned soup. Now I want to join them for some winter fun so I'm out of the kitchen!

*Note- You can create a vegetarian Italian Bean & Pasta soup by simply substituting vegetable bouillion/broth for the chicken.