Olive Garden's Pasta E Fagioli Soup

(From Erin)

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, julienned
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15 ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 15 ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 12 ounce can V-8 juice
1 T. vinegar1 ½ t. salt
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
½ t. pepper
½ t. thyme
½ pound (1/2 package) ditali pasta (or any other small pasta you have laying around)


Instructions: brown ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. About 50 minutes into the simmering, cook the pasta in 2 quarts of boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente. Add pasta to the large pot of soup. Sometimes if there doesn't look like there is enough liquid in the soup at this point, I add some of the pasta water to the soup, if not, then drain and just add the pasta. Simmer for 5-10 minutes more. Serves about 8 adults. Freezes great. I serve it with garlic bread and Parmesan cheese for the top. Mmmm.