Using basic canned goods and a few other staples, you can make this comforting soup in just minutes. The trick to achieving a full-bodied homemade flavor from canned chicken broth is to freshen it up with a handful of herbs, some garlic cloves and crushed red pepper. For a meatier flavor, add a little crumbled cooked Italian turkey sausage to the soup.

Recipe Ingredients for Pasta & Bean Soup

56	ounce reduced-sodium chicken broth
6	cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1	tbsp dried rosemary
1/8	teaspoon crushed red pepper
15 1/2	ounces cannellini beans, beans, divided
14 1/2	ounce diced tomatoes
1	cup macaroni (or medium pasta shells)
2	cups frozen spinach, (6 ounces)
6	teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
6	tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Recipe Directions for Pasta & Bean Soup

1. Combine broth, garlic, rosemary and crushed red pepper in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot; bring to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes to intensify flavor. Meanwhile, mash 1 cup beans in a small bowl.
   
   
2. Scoop garlic cloves and rosemary from the broth with a slotted spoon (or pass the soup through a strainer and return to the pot). Add mashed and whole beans to the broth, along with tomatoes; return to a simmer. Stir in pasta, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
   
   
3. Stir in spinach, cover and cook just until the spinach has thawed, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with a drizzle of oil, if desired, and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Variation: Substitute chickpeas (garbanzo beans) for the cannellini beans; use a food processor to puree them.
   
   

Categories

Beans, Pasta, Tomatoes, Vegetables, Soup, Italian, Mediterranean

Health Information

Nutrition Grade 96% confidence

Good points Very low in cholesterol High in dietary fiber High in manganese High in phosphorus High in potassium