K’s Kitchen: A warm traditional Italian soup

By Kathryn Reed

One of the great things about Lake Tahoe is soup season lasts a long time.

With there being so many soups in the world, it’s possible to have a different one nearly every night. And they also make for great leftovers.

Sometimes I will increase the ingredients to ensure I have leftovers. Such is the case with the soup below.

This recipe is so easy that it would be a good one to have your kids make. And not many ingredients are involved. Often I have everything on hand so a trip the grocery story is not required.

Use small pasta because a larger one like a bow tie will absorb too much of the liquid and what you are left with is not soup. It’s still good, just different. It seems like no matter the size of pasta that by the second day the consistency is more solid than liquid soup. If soup is what you desire, add water or broth.

The name of the soup means pasta and beans. It’s a traditional Italian dish.

Pasta e Fagioli

1 T olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 (23-ounce) carton vegetable broth

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 C small pasta shells

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (15 ounce) can white or pinto beans, drained

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried sage

½ tsp ground pepper

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery and carrot until onions begin to change color. Add broth and bring to boil. Uncover, add garlic and pasta. Cook until the pasta is the consistency you prefer. Stir in tomato sauce, beans and spices. Cook until heated through. Adjust seasonings if necessary.