Ever since I worked at the Olive Garden in high school, I have been in love with this soup. About a year ago I started trying to copy it. There are a number of recipes out there, and every time I make it is a little different, so it was difficult for me to pin this down enough to write it up here.
Some notes. Sometimes I add two cans of beans. This makes it heartier, but the beans will break up the longer you cook them and turn this almost into chili. If there is one problem I have with making this, it is that if I'm not really careful it gets less like soup and more like a stew. I hate that. This is ditto on the pasta. I used to put dry pasta in the mix and cook until it was ready. You can do that, but all that pasta breaks down in the soup and thickens it. Then when you try to eat the left over (and there will be left over cause even if you half this you get 4 qts of soup!!) it will just get thicker and thicker until you have to cut it with a knife like a pasta loaf. To avoid that, add in some more beef broth with a re-heat.
This really is a lovely soup. I hope you make it. I hope you enjoy it. Oh, if you are trying to cut some more time off, you can buy chopped onions, celery, and shredded carrots in the produce section now. Makes it totally easy. Just mix and heat.
Adapted from the many, but mostly here.
Ingredients:
1 1/3 teaspoon Oil
1 pound Ground beef
1/2 medium yellow onion; chopped (I shred it in a food processor so it's hidden)
2 Carrots; slivered (again food processor)
2 Celery stalks; diced
1 can diced tomatoes (or 1 can V8 juice if you don't like the chunky)
1 can Red Kidney beans
20 ounces Beef stock (This is an -ish. Add until you like it. I keep extra on hand for reheats - see note below)
1.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Pepper
2 teaspoons Parsley; (fresh chopped)
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 large jar Spaghetti sauce (don't get anything too fancy. No cabaret flavor. Think tomato)
3 ounces dry pasta Shell macaroni; or other pasta - COOKED
Directions:
Preparation: Sauté beef in oil in large 10-qt. pot until beef starts to brown. Add onions, carrots, celery and tomatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse beans and add to the pot. Also add beef stock, oregano, pepper, Tabasco, spaghetti sauce, and noodles. Add chopped parsley. Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Makes 9 qts. of soup! **Just cut the recipe in 1/2 for smaller family needs!Some notes. Sometimes I add two cans of beans. This makes it heartier, but the beans will break up the longer you cook them and turn this almost into chili. If there is one problem I have with making this, it is that if I'm not really careful it gets less like soup and more like a stew. I hate that. This is ditto on the pasta. I used to put dry pasta in the mix and cook until it was ready. You can do that, but all that pasta breaks down in the soup and thickens it. Then when you try to eat the left over (and there will be left over cause even if you half this you get 4 qts of soup!!) it will just get thicker and thicker until you have to cut it with a knife like a pasta loaf. To avoid that, add in some more beef broth with a re-heat.
This really is a lovely soup. I hope you make it. I hope you enjoy it. Oh, if you are trying to cut some more time off, you can buy chopped onions, celery, and shredded carrots in the produce section now. Makes it totally easy. Just mix and heat.
Adapted from the many, but mostly here.
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