High Protein Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Take a trip to Italy with a bowl of Pasta e Fagioli (translation: pasta and beans). This classic Italian soup is high in protein, loaded with meat, hearty vegetables, tender pasta, and tons of flavor. To make this recipe more bariatric friendly, we’ve increased the protein, cut down the amount of pasta and added some extra veggies into the mix! Ready in under 40 minutes, this easy to make soup is the perfect comfort food to add to your rotation for those chilly winter nights.

Makes 15 servings
Cook time: 35 - 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 lb. 99% lean ground beef
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes, not drained
• 2 - 15 oz cans white beans, drained
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup dried pasta (elbows or ditallini)
• 2 cups kale, chopped fine
• 4 oz low-fat cottage cheese, blended until smooth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Add oil to a large stock pot, allow to heat 1-2 minutes. Add beef and break apart into small pieces in the pan. Cook until completely browned.
2. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
3. Add garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, white beans, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add pasta and kale and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked. This is a thick soup but if it becomes too thick, add 1 cup of water.
5. Remove from heat, stir in blended cottage cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.