I know what you were thinking when you saw this title. “Since when did you become a vegetarian, Sarah?” No, I’m not a vegetarian, but a little break from meat never hurt anybody. 
Especially when you have a simple recipe that’s as good as this one.
Now I have to admit something…The first time I made this soup, my husband came to the stove, gave it a look and a sniff, and wrinkled up his nose. But after one taste, he was converted. (It doesn’t hurt that he has a mild–okay, major–addiction to pasta.) Anyway, here it is…
White Bean & Pasta Soup Recipe
1 can Great Northern beans (15 oz)
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (I like to add an extra cup to this, which makes it equal a full carton. Also note that chicken broth would keep it from being truly vegetarian, so vegetable broth can easily be substituted in its place.)
1 cup diced tomatoes (I use a 14 ounce can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes for convenience.)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup miniature pasta shells or bow ties (I usually increase this to 3/4 to 1 cup for the pasta lovers in my house.)
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Rinse and drain beans. In a large saucepan, combine beans, broth, tomatoes and oregano. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in pasta. Cook, partially covered, for 7 minutes or until pasta is tender. To serve, ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
(I apologize I don’t have any photos. I took some lovely pictures of the finished product, but technology is not my friend this week. I’ll try to add them later.)
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Not only is this soup great for vegetarians, it’s also a healthy option for people needing to watch their cholesterol or fat intake. The original recipe came from my sister, and I made a few tweaks as noted above.
In our house, we like to pair it with salad and breadsticks. Or for the kiddos, I sometimes make grilled cheese sandwiches to go with it. It’s multi-dimensional.
How often do you make meat-free meals in your home? Any recipes that first induced nose wrinkles, but then the family was converted after tasting it?
I’m so printing this! It looks delish! I’d be the only one eating it but that just gives me an excuse to have some girlfriends over for lunch!
Have a great weekend!
For sure, Jessica. Any excuse to invite friends, right?
Mmm, looks delish! I’ll have to try making it before it gets too hot out…which may be very soon here in Phoenix. Happy Friday, Sarah!
I guess you could always crank up the A/C in your house, Lindsay, lol.
Looks good, Sarah! I made a creamy spring pasta with peas and asparagus the other night. Hubby loved it, but also told me, “You know, you could add chicken to this.” Hmmm…my man likes his meat. lol
Have a great weekend!
Haha, My hubby would probably say the same thing, Heidi.
We only eat meat about twice a week (excluding leftovers). We are super frugal that way (eh hem, healthy).
~ Wendy
Healthy and frugal go hand in hand, my friend.
Thanks for the recipe. It sounds great! My daughter makes a meatless bean soup similar to this. I’ve tried meatless chili…not bad.
We mostly eat chicken. About once a month, I must have a good steak.
I’ve got grilled steak on the menu this weekend, Loree. Yum!
Mmm, that sounds so good. I don’t eat a lot of meat, so it’s right up my alley. No, I’m not a vegetarian…I’m just often too lazy to cook meat.
I totally agree, Melissa. I hate cooking meat…and especially touching it. Ick.
I have a similar recipe and I love to serve warm, French bread with it. Yum!!
Oh yum, Jill. Bread goes good with anything in my book.
We eat a lot of chicken and fish and veggies, and we only do red meat about twice a week. My favorite meat-free dish would be veggie lasagna. MMMM!
Your soup sounds wonderful, Sarah! I must try this.
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And about the technology thing… I’ve noticed a lot of glitches this wk, both with WP & Blogger sites. I can’t comment on some posts, but others I can. I’ve been logging into my old blog site to get around this somewhat. There are some sites I can’t comment on using either my new website or old WP site. Go figure…
Cindy, I’m curious…What fills the protein role in your lasagna? Does it use a type of bean?
My MIL actually used refried beans in hers once, but I think it’s the cheese that adds the protein.
I’m pretty much a meat and potatoes gal. Occasionally, I’ll do eggs for dinner.
I love to make breakfast for supper, Susan! Of course, mine tends to be of the carb variety, i.e., French toast or pancakes.
Mmm…this sounds really good. My favorite vegetarian dish is anything Mediterranean.
Oh yum, Julia. I love the olive/feta/tomato combo.
If it uses chicken broth, it is technically not “vegetarian” friendly, but I’ll substitute vegetable broth. Thanks!
Good point, Andrea! I just edited the post to mention vegetable broth. Thanks!