Pasta & Bean Soup
 
Ingredients
  • 1 lb dried pinto beans, soaked overnight or for at least 6 hours, drained
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1.5 cups chopped onion
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 28 oz can tomato puree
  • 10 cups water
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup orzo or other small pasta
  • freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, oregano, basil and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion translucent, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add tomato paste and tomato puree and cook another 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in water, cover partially, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
  4. Add beans with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1.5 hours.
  5. Add orzo and continue to simmer until pasta tender, about 10 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The New Basics Cookbook

If you prefer to use canned beans, use 2 cans of rinsed beans (pinto, garbanzo or cannellini beans). Reduce cooking time to 10 minutes and then add orzo.
Recipe by https://veggingonthemountain.com/ at https://veggingonthemountain.com/2015/03/pasta-bean-soup/