How to Make Stanley Tucci’s Pasta Fagioli 🤤

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra virgin)
• 1 medium Onion (diced)
• 2 medium Carrot (peeled and diced)
• 1 medium Red Bell Pepper (diced)
• 8 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 pound Ground Beef (80% lean)
• 2.5 tablespoons Tomato Paste (regular tomato paste)
• 8 cups Beef Broth (low‑sodium)
• 24 ounces Marinara Sauce (store‑bought)
• 3 pieces Bay Leaf
• 1 piece Parmesan Rind (about 2 inches, for flavor)
• 1 cup Ditalini Pasta (dry)
• 2 handfuls Kale (stems removed, roughly chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated, for topping)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

Instructions

1. Sauté aromatics

   Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, red bell pepper, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

2. Brown the ground beef

   Add the 1 lb ground beef to the pot. Break it up with the wooden spoon and cook until it just starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Do not over‑cook; the meat will finish cooking later.

   Time: PT5M

3. Incorporate tomato paste

   Stir in 2½ tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, allowing it to caramelize slightly.

   Time: PT2M

4. Build the broth

   Pour in 8 cups beef broth, add the 24 oz marinara sauce, 3 bay leaves, the Parmesan rind, and the seasonings (salt, pepper, Italian seasoning). Bring the mixture to a boil.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 100°C

5. Cook the pasta

   Add 1 cup dry ditalini pasta to the boiling broth. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.

   Time: PT10M

6. Finish with greens and lemon

   Reduce the heat to low. Add the chopped kale and a squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 tbsp). Simmer for another 5 minutes, until the kale is wilted but still bright green.

   Time: PT5M

7. Serve

   Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

   Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

3 g