Slow Cooker vegetarian Pasta e Fagioli

By KEGMD

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 tsp. Italian Herb Blend (Use any brand of Italian seasoning that you have.)
• 2-3 tsp. Spike Seasoning (Or substitute any type of all-purpose seasoning blend that you like.)
• 1/2 tsp. ground fennel (probably optional, but it adds a lot of flavor.)
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 cans (15 oz.) red beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 cans (14 oz.) vegetable broth (or use homemade vegetable stock, which would be fantastic in this)
• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• several pieces Parmesan rind (optional, but does add wonderful flavor to the soup)
• 1/2 cup 100% Whole Wheat Orzo Pasta (could substitute any type of small whole wheat pasta, or use brown rice for gluten-free variation)
• 2 T good quality balsamic vinegar
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
• chopped fresh parsley for serving

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from kalynskitchen.com

Preparation

Step 1

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe with Whole Wheat Orzo (and the Ninja Cooker!) | Kalyn's Kitchen®

Heat the olive oil and saute the onion (either in a pan on the stove or in the Ninja Cooker) until it's starting to soften, about 4 minutes.

Add the chopped celery and carrots to the onion and cook 3-4 minutes more. Then add the minced garlic, Italian Herb Blend, Spike, fennel and red pepper flakes and saute about 1 minutes more. (Transfer to slow cooker if you're sauteeing in a pan.)

While the vegetables are cooking, put the beans in a colander placed in the sink and rinse well with cold water, until no more foam appears. When vegetables are done, add them and vegetable stock, and tomato sauce to the slow cooker and season the soup with a little salt and fresh ground black pepper and start to cook.

And if you really want to get the full Italian grandmother flavor, add a couple of Parmesan rinds to the soup when you start cooking it. (This is optional, you can add more Parmesan to the finished soup if you don't have a rind.)

After the soup has cooked 3-4 hours on high (or 6-7 hours on low), add the whole wheat orzo and cook about 40 minutes more. Stir in balsamic vinegar to finish the soup and serve hot, with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan to add at the table.

any medium-sized slow cooker (4-5 quart size) will work.)

Italian Herb Blend

(Or substitute any type of all-purpose seasoning blend that you like.)

1/2 tsp. ground fennel (probably optional, but it adds a lot of flavor.)

several pieces Parmesan rind (optional, but does add wonderful flavor to the soup)

100% Whole Wheat Orzo Pasta

(could substitute any type of small whole wheat pasta, or use brown rice for gluten-free variation)