Vegan Pasta e Fagioli

I have a confession.

When I was younger and traveling a lot for gymnastics, I was obsessed with The Olive Garden.  I would order unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks and I ALWAYS went for seconds.  As I got older, my taste in restaurants changed . . . But my craving for that Pasta e Fagioli never went away.

So I searched long and hard to figure out a way I could make this soup . . . In a way that fits my new lifestyle of course (no gluten, meat, or dairy).  So check it out.  You will LOVE it!

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Vegan Pasta e Fagioli

serves about 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup julienned carrot
• 3 stalks chopped celery
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2, 14.5-oz cans of diced tomatoes
• 1, 15-oz can red kidney beans with liquid (sometimes a use only half the can so its less thick)
• 1, 15-oz can great northern beans with liquid (sometimes a use only half the can so its less thick) 
• 12 - oz v8 juice or vegetable juice like it
• 24 -oz chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 lb ditali brown rice pasta or quinoa pasta (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Saute onion, carrot, celery, and garlic for 10 min.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
3. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook pasta for 7-10 minutes of until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain.
4. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve.