Whenever I go to Olive Garden, I have to get the Pasta E Fagioli. The hearty blend of pasta, beans, and meat gets this carb-loving girl excited! I found several "copy-cat" recipes online, and through trial and error, I have made a recipe that I love. What makes it even better, is that I can just put everything in the crockpot and.... sha-zam! Dinner is ready when the hubby gets home!
Let me know what you think!
(Picture is before adding pasta)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef (I actually substitute either venison or turkey burger... makes it leaner)
- 1/2 onion, chopped (I hate chunks of onion, so I chop like crazy!)
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes, undrained (I typically do not like diced tomatoes, but these stew for so long that they become mush.)
- 1 (16 oz) can of red kidney beans, drained
- 1 (16 oz) can of great northern beans, drained
- 15 oz of beef stock
- To taste: oregano, pepper, parsley
- 1 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional)
- 1/2 (20 oz) jar of spaghetti sauce (I use Prego traditional)
- 8 oz pasta (Whatever kind you want... I use shells typically)
Directions:
1. Brown the meat in a skillet.
2. Drain fat from the meat (if you use venison or turkey burger, you will not have to drain). Add everything to the crockpot.
3. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours
4. During the last 30 mins, add pasta, or you can cook the pasta on the stovetop and add it when you are ready to serve.
Enjoy!Labels: Recipes
