Pasta e Fagioli Soup Easy and Kid Approved

This is a great way to add some beans into your family’s diet.  Fiber!  Crusty bread for is an excellent idea for dipping and a big salad completes this weeknight dinner.
Adapted from DiSalvo’s Italian Restaurant
Serves 6

EQUIPTMENT
Dutch Oven
Wooden spoons

INGREDIENTS
1 tbs olive oil
⅓ cup roughly chopped garlic 
3oz Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken soup base
5-6 cups water
8oz can tomato sauce (can of chopped tomatoes can be substituted here)
2 16oz cans of navy beans, drained and rinsed
cooked medium shell pasta
pepper to taste
baguette for dipping if desired

INSTRUCTIONS
In a soup pot, heat olive oil on medium-low heat and saute garlic for a couple minutes. Do not burn garlic or it will taste bitter!
Add Better than Bouillon soup base and stir. Do not add salt!
Add water and tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
Add beans and reduce heat to simmer.
Simmer for 30 min.

To serve, ladle soup in bowls and then add pasta.  If you add pasta to soup, it will soak up the broth as it sits overtime. Finish with some fresh cracked pepper to taste. Serve with a big piece of crusty bread

Notes:
-Do not add salt to the recipe.
-Add 3 stalks of celery, chopped fine, when adding water and tomato sauce for some added texture.
-Navy beans can be substituted with any other white bean.
-Store pasta and and soup separately. 
-Serve with this easy salad: chopped romaine lettuce, some sliced strawberries, and a drizzle of Garlic Expressions salad dressing. I call this salad “Just Get Some Romaine In My Kids’ Mouths!”