Easy Italian Pasta and Bean Soup

• 8 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• 12-16 oz box bow-tie pasta
• 4 cans beans (any white or red beans)
• 2 cans diced or stewed tomatoes
• 1 can Rotel mild or original tomatoes and chilies
• 1 package dry Italian dressing mix
• 1 jar Marinara sauce (I prefer Classico’s traditional sweet basil flavor)
• 16 oz chicken, beef or vegetable broth
• 1 pound Italian sausage links (optional)

Except for cooking the pasta, this recipe can be made in a crock pot and microwave.  You need a big soup pot and a stove to cook the pasta.

Add 8 cups water to a large soup pot and bring to a boil on high heat (takes about 5 minutes to reach boiling).  Boil pasta 7-11 minutes (based on package directions) and remove from heat.  If using a crockpot to cook the soup while you are away, toss the cooked pasta with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and store in a Ziploc bag or a covered bowl in the refrigerator.

If using Italian sausage, break open the links and squeeze the sausage out into a microwave safe bowl.  Lightly shape the sausage into a donut-like ring.  Cover and bake on high 5 minutes.  Remove from microwave, carefully remove cover and stir sausage.  Drain off liquid into a sink with hot running water.  Shape the partially cooked sausage into another ring, cover and cook on high 3 more minutes.  Break up cooked sausage with wooden spoon.

Do NOT drain the cans of vegetables. Add other ingredients EXCEPT pasta to a crockpot and simmer on low for 6-8 hours.  If you are cooking on a stove, simmer in a large soup pot for 1-2 hours.  Add pasta and serve warm.

Carlyn Foshee Chatfield