My grandmother would say that this soup is “good for what ails you.” I agree wholeheartedly. Broken hearts, terrible days at work and all manner of other things can be soothed, if not cured, by this soup. It’s truly marvelous stuff, and much greater than the sum of its parts.
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
2 whole carrots, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
28-ounce can crushed/chopped tomatoes
2 14.5-ounce cans beef broth or fresh beef stock
2 whole bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup ditalini pasta (small tubes or similar shape), uncooked
Parmesan cheese, powdered, to serve
1. Put everything except beans, pasta and cheese in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir, making sure to break up the ground beef.