A warm, comforting, meaty, veggie-loaded Italian soup perfect for cold days — and amazing for leftovers!
⭐ Ingredients
Meat
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
Vegetables
- 3 carrots, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced (optional but matches your photo)
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
Canned Goods
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 can cannellini or great northern beans, drained & rinsed
Liquids & Seasonings
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½–1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Pasta
- 1 cup uncooked ditalini or small macaroni (as in the picture)
Finish
- Fresh parsley
- Parmesan cheese for serving
🧑🍳 Instructions
1. Brown the meat
- In a skillet, cook beef/sausage until browned.
- Drain excess fat.
- Add to slow cooker.
2. Add everything except pasta
Into the slow cooker, add:
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Garlic
- Both cans of tomatoes
- Both beans
- Beef broth
- All seasonings
Stir well.
3. Cook
- LOW: 6–8 hours
- HIGH: 3–4 hours
The vegetables will become soft and flavors blend beautifully.
4. Add pasta
30 minutes before serving:
- Add your ditalini/macaroni.
- Let it cook until tender.
(If you want the pasta firmer, boil it separately and stir in right before serving.)
5. Serve
Ladle into bowls and top with:
- Fresh parsley
- Parmesan cheese
- A drizzle of olive oil if desired
Thick, hearty, wholesome, and AMAZING!
