Recipe: Pasta Fasulu

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: While some recipes suggest cooking the pasta before adding it to the soup, here the small shaped pasta add just enough starch to give the stock body. Be sure to wait until the pasta is nearly cooked before adding the vegetables so they retain a little texture. Add the cooked beans right before serving. From Beth Dooley.

• 1 tbsp. olive oil

• 1/2 c. chopped onions

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

• 6 c. chicken or vegetable stock

• 1/2 c. small pasta (elbow, stars, orzo)

• 1 large carrot, diced

• 1/2 c. diced zucchini

• 1/2 c. diced green beans

• 1 small red pepper, seeded and diced

• 1/2 c. garbanzo or white beans, drained

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste

• 1/4 c. shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese, or more to taste

Directions

Add the pasta, reduce the heat to a slow boil and stir; cook until the pasta is just beginning to become tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the carrot, zucchini, green beans, pepper and kale and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the beans. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

Remove and discard the bay leaf, and serve garnished with the cheese.

Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:

Calories165Fat6 gSodium235 mgSaturated fat2 g

Carbohydrates20 gTotal sugars3 g