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Yesterday I came in from the back yard with a hand full of four leaf clovers…
You know, some people think that four leaf clovers are hard to find but when I was a little girl my mother could always walk right up to a clover patch, look down for a few seconds, and pluck one right up.
It seemed she had a special gift for finding clovers, and as I grew older I came to realize she had a special gift for finding a lot of good things. In the middle of the worst storm, Mama could find a song to sing. When we came home with a bad hair cut, Mama could point out the one thing that made it just perfect and turn everyone’s opinion right around. When our school friends went away on trips we could never afford, Mama would invite all the neighborhood kids over to play in our back yard and fill our days with homemade popsicles and hosepipe tag.
She could find good in any situation as easily as looking down at a patch of hundreds of clovers and plucking out the one with four leaves on it.
I spent my childhood looking to her as my example and this morning, I got to thinking about those clovers and how much better I am at finding them now that I’m older. Now, when I walk outside and come back in with a handful of four leaf clovers my daughter exclaims with delight that I must be really good at finding them! I just smile and tell her that they’re there for anyone who looks. Like the special little moments in life, pockets of happiness, and reasons to be grateful.
Four leaf clovers aren’t rare. The people who take time to look for them are.
~takes a moment to look at the picture and let it sink in~
Alrighty, time to package my heart back up and get on to the cooking!
If you’ve never had this soup, you’re in for a treat and a half. It’s kind of like an Italian version of chili – and my family LOVES it!
There are all sorts of variations of Pasta Fagoli out there. Translated from Italian, it simply means “Pasta and Beans” and is traditionally an economical meatless dish. I like to add meat to mine but you can certainly leave it out.
I was originally inspired to make it due to my favorite soup, salad, and breadsticks treat at the local Olive Garden. This is not the exact recipe Olive Garden uses, of course, but it is close. This is also not the exact recipe found around the web, but it’s close enough to those, too. My recipe is a little more streamlined and makes about half as much as the other recipes do. My recipe makes about 4 quarts, which is a reasonable amount for a family. Leftovers reheat and even freeze really well, too.
You’ll need: Kidney Beans, Navy Beans, Beef Broth, Crushed Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Matchstick carrots (or carrots you cut yourself), diced onions, small ring pasta (or small pasta of your choice), and browned ground beef.
Note: I was tired the day I made this and decided to cook up some ground beef. As soon as I got it into the skillet I went and sat down to gift myself with a little time reading my latest Tamera Alexander novel…a while later I remembered my ground beef. Needless to say, it was a little overcooked but the beauty was that I was browning it for this recipe and since this is a slow cooked soup, that gives the overly cooked ground beef time to soften up a bit. Crisis averted. You know, really, most crises can be averted if we just refuse to let them become crisis in the first place, don’t you think?
You’re gonna need some seasonings, too. I’m using salt, dried parsley, and dried Italian seasoning.
Now if you’ve been with me a long time you may be thinking “Christy sure does use Italian seasoning a lot!”.
If you’re thinking that, you’re right.
I like it.
It’s good.
It’s cheap.
For me, it is the ketchup of dried herb blends! Having said that, if you would prefer to make it a little more complicated, feel free to come up with your own herb blend. I’m sure it will be great – or just give yourself a break and do it my way. It’s not like you don’t work hard enough as it is.
So basically, you dump everything in a slow cooker except for your pasta. I drained my beans but it’ll be just fine if you’d rather not.
Dump, dump, dump, dump, then….
Stir.
Now put the lid on it and let it cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
About half an hour before serving, stir in your pasta and put the lid back on so it can get done.
Top it with fresh grated parmesan if you want or just go my route and use some mozzarella. There is no rule that says you can’t use whatever cheese your heart desires – and if you find that rule written somewhere, just go ahead and break it.
C’mon, be a rebel with me. 🙂 Speaking of rebels, we should start our own gang. We can wear yoga pants and ride Schwinn’s – the kind with the big comfy seats, not those factory puppies that give you a total of two square inches to balance your entire body weight on. We’ll get those little horns that honk like we had when were were kids and big tall flags to go on the back of our bikes so when we’re about to crest a hill, the kids will know we’re a coming! I used to have a battery operated loudspeaker on my bicycle with a little cb type handset that let me talk to people as I passed and that could come in real handy, too. “Hey Amy! What’s for supper?” as we drive by a friend’s house. Or the occasional “EHHH!” really loud if we see a kid, dog, or random person about to do something they should know better than to do. ~giggles~ That would be fun. Remind me to start a gang in my spare time. Y’all go ahead and pick out a name...
Oh look, our soup is done! If there are any leftovers, they refrigerate and even freeze well. I thought I’d have leftovers from this but after teenage son ate two bowls and husband ate three…then I myself came back for another bowl…it disappeared pretty fast.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage, browned and drained
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 cup matchstick carrots or 1 cup finely diced carrots
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 15 ounce can kidney beans drained
- 15 ounce can navy or Cannelloni or navy beans drained
- 15 ounce can beef stock
- 2 tablespoons italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup dried pasta I'm using little rings.
Instructions
- Place everything but the pasta into a 5-6 quart slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover with lid and cook on low, 7-8 hours or high, 3-4 hours.
- Thirty minutes before serving, stir in pasta and cover again until pasta is done (about 20 minutes).
- Serve topped with shredded cheese if you like.
To make on stove top, combine all ingredients except for pasta. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add pasta and continue to cook for 15 minutes more, or until pasta is done.
Makes about 4 quarts.
How many does it serve? Well that depends. If you are a hungry NFL football player, this serves one. If you are a 90 pound woman who eats like bird, this serves 20-25. If you are a family of five who loves a good hearty soup, this will serve about 5. Serving amount is terribly relative and always a best guess either way you go so just grab a bowl and dig in!
There are four things you cannot recover: The Stone—after the throw, The Word–after it’s said, The Occasion–after the loss, The Time–after it’s gone.
~Anonymous, submitted Faye Hillard (thanks, Faye!). Click here to submit your own
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Yum 
My husband just asked ‘what’s for dinner?’ at 10:15a.m. I’m pulling the crockpot out right now!
P.S. Just one more thing in common with you…Pulling 4-leafed clovers 🙂
I think i’m going to try this but use turkey or chicken and chicken broth instead of the beef. We’ve been trying to cut out beef and pork.
Ehhh… I’m soo sick of turkey and chicken!!! Love that beef and PORK, remember, Pork, is the OTHER WHITE MEAT!
hehe! I’m with you Kaye! I like chicken and all that, but there is something about beef and pork that makes it more of a meal to me personally 🙂
Hahahahaha! This is funny to me…my Italian grandmother & great grandmother often made this, but the thing is, in Italian families, pasta e fagioli is a MEATLESS dish…no meat at all, neither chicken or turkey, beef nor pork. It is about the cheapest, healthiest thing there is, and you can certainly eat it with a sandwich that has meat in it…but no, I never heard of anyone putting meat in it until the Olive Garden Restaurants opened. BTW Christy, love this site & all the wonderful recipes you have on here! I’ve made quite a few!!!
Christy, I have been searching for someone else to read. Could you recommend any of Tamera Alexander’s books for me? I am not familiar with her! And I can’t wait to try this recipe! I will try it with the Quinoa/corn pasta I usually use in your Country Casserole recipe!
I’ll give you a whole list! On my way to my daughter’s music program but when I get back I’ll hop back on and do that! 🙂
Wonderful! Thank you so much!
Your story reminds me of the movie “Pollyanna” with Hayley Mills! I love that movie to this day! “You can always find the good in everything if you just look!
This recipe sounds awesome, I’m gonna try it! You are such an inspiration, staying optimistic always! You know how to brighten a person’s day:)
Since we’re chili and spaghetti fans around here, this recipe is right up our alley and down our street. The name first name that came to mind for your gang was, Christy’s Southern Sisters, but that doesn’t sound like a name that would include our Southern Plate brothers!! I’m sure others will come up with some great suggestions, though! Will be giving this soup a try VERY soon!!
This is so funny! My son is sick (not funny) and I was asking him what type of soup he wanted. He said this Pasta Fagoli! And this was waiting in my email! Thanks you so much! He will be happy and hopefully felling a little better with this soup.
Oh my, this looks delicious! I have already adopted your chili recipe and made
it my own. It’s the best chili I’ve ever had!
I’d love to join your “gang” if I only lived close enough to participate 🙁
I think I’d save my pennies and buy one of those three-wheeled trikes. They
look so fun and I could put all kinds of decorations all over it. Probably
ending up looking like I belonged in a parade instead of a “gang” 🙂
Oh well, I can dream………..
My Mom was also one of those that could just look down and find a four-leaf
clover. As a kid, I’d get kinda irritated cause I could look forever and not find one!
Oh, as for the name, how ’bout “The Sassy Southern Cyclers” (or bikers)
Blessings.
Wait… Brady is a teenager??
Worse than that, he’s almost 14! Where did the time go?
Oh my goodness Christy… no joke. Time does slip away. My daughter turned 30 this past March and being that I’m only 30 (batting eyes so innocently) I just can’t imagine how that can be! This soup looks wonderful. I am filing it away for a day when we slip under 90 degrees again. Thanks!!
I have made this in a much more complicated version and have left out the meat, since it has so many beans in it as protein, I like that yours looks much simplier but just as yummy, since we have “meatless” once a week, sounds like this one needs to be tried out next week, thanks for the recipe.
Hey Christy – We love this soup too!!
FYI – the white beans are cannellini (not cannoli, which is a dessert) – LOL!!
Sometimes we use a jar of (or homemade) spaghetti sauce and a small can of diced or crushed tomatoes – just depends what is on hand.
oops – also meant to add I believe it is fagioli (or pasta e fagioli)
Anyway a wonderful soup!!! LOVE your blog site!!!
Christy, thank you for this recipe. It is raining here today so will not be doing some of the things on the ranch that need to get done but aren’t pressing. We are about finished with the spring calving now. I will be making this recipe for the weekend and keeping it warm in the slow cooker/crockpot for a quick lunch. I made some pickled onions a couple days ago and I like vinegary foods so I will top this recipe with some pickled onions with or without the cheese topping. I also may ad a little bit of vinegar to the Fagoli as it is cooking. Thanks again.
This is a perfect way to transform some tired, ol’ homemade chili. I was just wondering what to do to pep it up. Thank you, Christy!
Christy, Love the soup! Love the message! What is hosepipe tag? Tracie
I am gonna try this as soon as I can! It sounds great, and as usual, your post prior to the recipe lifted my spirits today. I really needed that since I have been stranded in an airport for 3 hours and so badly wanting to make it home today! Been on a two week business trip!
Love you and your posts
As luck would have it I have everything I need! Guess what’s for dinner tomorrow night? 🙂
I am soooo happy this is a beef recipe. I am allergic to all poultry and most seafood so its not easy to find great recipes , I have noticed that so many people post are a chicken based recipe. So thank you for this I will definitely be trying this one 🙂
Would be perfect for today but my husband wants pizza on Friday soooooooooooooo tomorrow, tomorrow!!!! lol Thanks so much for the recipe. I always order this at Olive Garden! Now I will fix it at home.
A Bike Gang! Oh fun!! Where shall we all meet? Pedal pushers and keds! Do we bring a covered dish?? 😉
This is gonna be a big summertime helper. I hate heating up the kitchen when it’s a bazillion degrees outside (you know Southern summers, lol) so this slow cooker recipe will be a welcome relief. I like that I actually have most of the ingredients for your recipes. Don’t like buying one specific herb or food I’ll probably never use again. Please keep giving us the slow cooker recipes. Oh,
my suggested name for the bike gang is “Christy’s Cruisers”.
I could hardly focus on the recipe for worrying about hosepipe tag. What is it? Can I still ‘join the gang’ ? I have yoga pants and love fat seats on bikes. Who ever designed those slivered bike seats anyway? ~giggles~
We have a soup lunch after church once a month and this is what I’ll be fixing for the next one!! Love it at Olive Garden but the closest one is 80 miles away so I don’t get it very often any more…but thanks to you, I’ll get to have it any time I want!! Now to find some small, whole grain pasta!!
I would like to have one of the old timey bikes. You know, the kind you can sit up straight and ride, without leaning over!
Can’t wait ti try this soup. I also wanted to let you know that I copied the picture and script of the four-leaf clovers and shared them on my Facebook page – hope you don’t mind.
I LOVE Tamera Alexander, also Tasha Alexander. Have you tried hers?
My Mom was exactly the same way with finding four leaf clovers. Us (9) kids rarely found them but it was a common thing for my Mom. She passed away in February of 2011. The grass didn’t grow very good at her gravesite the first year but last year it was almost completely covered with clover. Couldn’t help but make me smile. I’m sure there was a few four leaf clovers hiding in there.
My husband passed away seven months after my Mom and can’t tell you how many times your newsletter with your writings has blessed me and made me feel a little better.
Thank you so much, Linda
My husband loves the pasta fagioli from that “place”, it’s the only reason we go there. We prefer to get our Italian food at a local Italian place. I can’t wait to make this for him.
I cooked a very similar recipe for our family soup get together this winter and it was the favorite!
Hello Christy thank you so much for the recipe this is one of my favorite soups. When ever I go to Olive Garden always get the soup and salad so I can have several bowls of this. I have been looking for a simple recipe. And I love using the crock pot. Thank you Thank you
Thank you Christy for another great recipe that I am going to try this week. Where did you buy the Creamette rings? I live in AL too and have never been able to find them here. When my Mom comes to visit from MN she usually brings me a couple boxes. Looking forward to your next email.