Pasta fagioli is a traditional Italian dish whose name means “pasta and beans”. This traditional dish pairs perfectly with fresh ground elk meat, which is what was incorporated into this recipe!
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8
*recipe derived and modified from allrecipes
Ingredients:
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1 pound ground elk (or ground meat of your choice)
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2 Tbsp. olive oil
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1 carrot, diced
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1 stalk celery, diced
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1 small onion, diced
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1 tsp. minced garlic
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1 (32 oz.) bottle tomato-vegetable juice cocktail (such as V8 – you can use more if the bottle is larger than 32 oz., just not less)
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14 oz. chicken broth
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1 Tbsp. dried parsley
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1 Tbsp. dried basil
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1 Tbsp. dried oregano
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2 cups ditalini pasta
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1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Directions:
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Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook ground meat until thoroughly browned.
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Heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté carrot, celery, and onion until vegetables are softened. Add in garlic and sauté until fragrant.
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Stir in vegetable juice cocktail, chicken broth, and parsley/basil/oregano.
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Bring mixture to boil then reduce to simmer. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
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Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook ditalini pasta to desired doneness, strain, and set aside.
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Stir cannellini beans and ground meat into soup. Cook until heated through.
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Serve by spooning pasta into bowl and top with soup. Enjoy!