Spaghetti Soup

When you’ve a house full of hungry guests (and creating more meals than expected) … here’s a way to put together a quick soup they’ll love. If you just made Italian gravy so much the better but a jar sauce with a few other ingredients will do in a pinch. Some sauce ideas, here, if you need.

Recipe

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Clove of garlic-minced
1 Pound ground beef, or 1/2 pound ground beef & 1/2 pound Italian spiced ground pork
15 Ounce can petite cut tomatoes
2 Bay leaves
1 Quart (low sodium, low fat-optional) chicken broth (vegetable or beef broth can be subbed)
3 Cups prepared sauce or use your favorite jarred variety
4-6 Ounces uncooked thick spaghetti or linguini
1/3 Cup grated Parmesan and more for garnish
Salt to taste-may not need any
Fresh parsley or basil for garnish

Heat the olive oil over medium/low heat in a dutch oven or a sauce pan that will hold all ingredients.

Add garlic and sauté for a minute without developing color.

Crumble meat selection into garlic/oil combination and cook until fat is rendered. Drain. If using a homemade sauce heavy in meat you can omit the meat addition here.

Add tomatoes, bay leaves, chicken broth and sauce.

Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes to begin releasing the bay leaves flavor.

Break up pasta in 3 inch lengths. Add along with Parmesan to ingredients.

Cook pasta until done. The longer the soup cooks at this point the softer the pasta and the thicker the soup. Add water or more broth if soup is too thick for your liking.

Serve hot with sprinkle of Parmesan and parsley.