Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli

I have a recipe for Pasta Fagioli soup that is delightful but it kind of requires babysitting while it cooks. Today was a "hurry up and get it thrown together" day and pot watching was definitely not on my list of things to do. I had this crock pot version saved in my "to be tried" recipe file so I pulled it out and ran with it. An added bonus is Bri is gone for a couple of days so she will miss this one, she's a staunch Pasta Fagioli hater. Why you ask? Personally I think she's bean prejudiced but I can't really say for sure.  She just doesn't like it. That's fine, I don't really like broccoli so I get it.

I used ground beef from my stash of precooked meat so that was super easy and fast and everything else was really straightforward. If you were a plan ahead kind of gal you could pick up the carrot shreds in the produce dept and cut down your prep time even more.

Add a quick green salad and a roll and you are in business with a quick, hearty, HEALTHY meal!

Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli

1 lb. lean ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 large red onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white beans (Canelli or northern) drained and rinsed
4 cups beef broth
1 jar pasta sauce
2 tsp. oregano
1 Tbsp. Tobasco
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup dry pasta (to be added at the end of cooking time  

Brown hamburger. Mix hamburger and all other ingredients except the pasta in the crock pot. Use a bigger one or consider cutting the recipe in half so it doesn't overflow. After about 6.5 or 7 hours, add your rice or other pasta.