Pasta e Fagioli is a comforting classic Italian soup that I loved as a kid. My mother always served it with a large piece of crusty bread that went down before I even picked up my spoon.

As a mom, I love Pasta e Fagioli because it’s a great way to get even the most “Veggie Averse” child to eat their vegetable and legumes. Below is my family recipe along with ideas for how you can get even your most picky eater to gobble it up.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb orcchiette pasta (swap with your kids favorite pasta)
• 2 cans of cannellini beans rinsed
• 1 can of pinto beans rinsed
• 2 stalks of celery chopped
• 3 medium carrots chopped
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves diced
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 2 tsp of sea salt
• 1 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cups of chicken Stock
• 3/4 cup of your favorite pasta sauce (preferably homemade)
• grated parmigiana to top each bowl
• CRUSTY BREAD to dip!

Time To Cook!

1. Cook your pasta al dente, drain and set aside.
2. In a blender, blend together 2 cups of chicken stock and one can of cannellini beans.
3. In a deep pot saute the carrots, onion, garlic and celery in 1/4 cup of olive oil until tender. Add the rosemary sprigs to the veggies while they cook. (NOTE: feel free to add pancetta or sausage to make heartier meal)
4. Add 1 tsp of salt.
5. Once the veggies are tender add the chicken stock/cannellini bean puree from blender to the pot with the veggies. (NOTE: IF YOUR CHILD IS VEGGIE AVERSE; 1. remove the rosemary sprigs, 2. to the blender with the chicken stock/bean puree, add the veggies, 3. blend thoroughly. Return the mixture to the pot.)
6. Add 1 can of rinsed cannellini beans and 1 can of rinsed pinto beans.
7. Add 1 cup of chicken stock.
8. Add 3/4 cup of pasta sauce.
9. Add cooked pasta.
10. Add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of ground pepper.
11. Simmer for 15 minutes.
12. Remove the rosemary sprigs.
13. Ladle into a soup bowl, top with grated cheese and serve with a big hunk of crusty bread!

Be sure to encourage your kids to break up the bread and dunk it into the veggie rich sauce!