Pasta e Fagioli (Olive Garden Copycat)

I found this recipe online a couple of years ago and it is still a favorite! It's super easy to make (and even easier now that I use THRIVE!) and really does remind me of Olive Garden's deliciousness. I cannot seem to find ditali pasta at my local grocery store and I don't really care about having the right shape of pasta, so I usually use rotini. If you want a really awesome Olive Garden-ish experience, check out my friend Misty's copycat recipe of their breadsticks! The perfect combo to go with this soup!

Adapted from Top Secret Recipes

Serves 8

100% shelf-stable ingredients

2 cups Ground Beef

1 cup Chopped Onions

1/2 cup Carrot Dices

1 cup Celery

1 2/3 cups water

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans (with liquid)

1 (15 oz) can great northern beans (with liquid)

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

1 (12 oz) can V8 juice

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 pound ditali pasta, cooked al dente

Combine the ground beef, onions, carrots, celery, and water in a large pot over medium heat to rehydrate. After about 5 minutes, add the garlic and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.

Add cooked pasta about 50 minutes into the simmering time.