Chicken Pasta e Fagiole Soup

That’s Amore!! Thick, Italian-style soup full of beans, vegetables and pasta... Perfect comfort food on a chilly day and great way to use up leftover chicken. Did I mention the recipe is healthy and easy to make too?? Can be prepared without chicken too for a vegetarian version. You will love it... Perfect for feeding a crowd or freezing for later!

Chicken Pasta e Fagiole Soup

Yield: 6 – 8 servings (large bowls)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 slices turkey bacon, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 – 3 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 small zucchini, cubed
1 small summer squash, cubed
2 -3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 1/2 teaspoons powder)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
5 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup small pasta
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil (1 tablespoon fresh)
2 15-ounce cans white beans (like cannelloni, navy beans)
Optional: 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
Optional: 1/3 cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese

Garnish: fresh chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese

Equipment needed:

Cutting board
Chef knife
Can opener
Large 6-quart soup Dutch oven or kettle/pot with lid
Measuring spoons
Dry and liquid measuring cups
Rubber spatula
Ladle

I spent 12 days in Italy this fall and fell in love with their soups! Many Italian dishes began as peasant food using very simple ingredients and home grown produce. I’m all about using what I have on hand and from my garden, so this is right up my alley. You don’t need any special cooking techniques to create a pot of this wonderfully healthy soup either. If you can chop, dice, mince and stir... maybe use a can opener... you can make this recipe!!

To begin the preparation, wash/ scrub all the produce. Dice the celery, carrots and onion. Cube the zucchini and summer squash into 1/2-inch cubes. No need to peel them... more colorful and healthier too. Mince the garlic and open the cans. Now grab your soup kettle!!

Now set your Dutch oven over medium high heat for 2 – 3 minutes. Add olive oil and turkey bacon. I add olive oil when cooking turkey bacon, as it helps it to crisp as it fries and prevents it from sticking to the pan. (You can use regular bacon if desired too.) Pan fry bacon until brown and crispy. Add prepared vegetables and stir well. Pour in chicken broth, canned, undrained tomatoes and seasonings. (Vegetable broth can be substituted for a vegetarian soup.) Stir well, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until veggies are still tender-crisp.

Last steps are to add the pasta, beans and chicken. I have made this recipe without chicken too for a meat-free, vegetarian option, but with the chicken it creates a balanced, healthy meal in one pot. I love small soup pastas... they start out less than 1/4-inch in size and absorb the broth to the perfect bite-sized portion. Simmer the pot with the pasta for another 8 – 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente, slightly chewy. Remember, the longer the soup simmers, the more liquid is absorbed... sometimes creating an almost stew consistency! I often wind up adding extra broth the second time I heat it up... Add the grated parmesan or pecorino cheese and taste it!! Adjust the seasoning/ salt as desired.

Your soup is ready!! Doesn’t it smell amazing?? Ladle up a larger bowl and garnish with grated cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley ... Serve with sliced bread drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. As Dean Martin sang years ago... “When the stars make you drool, just like Pasta Fazool... That’s Amore!!” You will feel like you are in Italy... Enjoy!!