Description
A delicious and hearty beef soup packed with nutritious vegetables and pasta, perfect for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb lean ground beef (85-90% lean)
- 1 cup elbow macaroni
- 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans or navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 4 cups beef broth (low-sodium)
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: First things first, grab a large Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot and set it over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then toss in the ground beef. Break it up with a spoon and cook until it’s nicely browned all over. Once cooked, carefully drain off any excess fat.
- Sauté the Aromatics: With the beef set aside, add a little more olive oil to the pot if needed. Then, add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Let these cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes, until they’ve softened up beautifully. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for just another minute until it’s fragrant.
- Build the Flavor Base: Bring back the browned beef to the pot. Stir in the tomato paste, letting it cook for a minute or two with the vegetables to deepen its flavor. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the beef broth, along with the Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything to combine.
- Simmer and Introduce Beans: Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for at least 15-20 minutes. After simmering, stir in the drained and rinsed white beans and let them heat through for another 5 minutes.
- Cook the Macaroni: Add the dry elbow macaroni directly to the simmering soup. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and cook according to the package directions for al dente pasta, usually around 7-10 minutes.
- Wilt the Spinach and Serve: Add the fresh spinach to the pot, pushing it down into the hot soup. Stir gently until the spinach has completely wilted, which usually takes a minute or two. Remove the bay leaf, taste the soup, and adjust any seasonings if needed.
Notes
- This soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Adjust the seasoning according to your taste preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg