Kale Pasta Fagioli

I cannot believe I am just getting around to making pasta fagioli.

So simple and inexpensive to make, yet incredibly delicious, this may be my new favorite dish. It’s an excellent way to get lots of healthy carbs, veggies and greens. Both filling and palette-pleasing, I ate this warm on a rainy day. Cold by the pool one day. For breakfast one day. And as a 10 PM snack one day. Clearly, I am overly in love with this classic pasta and beans dish.

If you’ve never made pasta fagioli before….stop whatever you’re doing and make it!

6 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 28 oz can organic diced tomatoes

4 cups cooked Great Northern beans (or any white)

3 cups cooked kidney beans

3 cups chopped kale

2 cups dry orrechiette or shell pasta

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 large carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 tsp all purpose seasoning

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

Crushed red pepper

Sea salt and black pepper

Fresh minced parsley and basil for garnish

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook crushed red pepper in olive oil for 1 minute
• Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes
• Add carrots and celery and cook for 5 more minutes
• Add tomato paste, all purpose seasoning, oregano, thyme and salt and pepper and cook for 2 more minutes
• Add all remaining ingredients, EXCEPT pasta, and bring to a boil
• Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for one hour
• After an hour, bring back to a boil, add pasta and cook for 10 more minutes