Beef, Tomato, and Acini di Pepe Soup

Ingredients

• Ground beef

  80% lean meat / 20% fat, raw

  1 lb or 453g

• Salt

  Table

  1 ½ tsp or 9g

• Onions

  Raw

  ½ cup, chopped or 80g

• Celery

  Raw

  1 stalk, medium or 40g

• Carrots

  Raw

  ½ cup grated or 55g

• Tomatoes

  Red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice

  4 cup or 960g

• Beef broth or bouillon canned soup

  Ready-to-serve

  6 cup or 1.44kg

• Bay leaf

  Dried

  1 leaf or 0.2g

• Parmesan cheese

  Shredded

  4 tbsp or 20g

• Whole wheat pasta

  Dry

  4 oz or 113g

Directions

1. Warm a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and salt, breaking the meat into small crumbles, and cook until well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the onion, celery, and carrots and cook until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Pour in the canned tomatoes and beef broth, then add 1 to 2 bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low until the vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 60 to 90 minutes, adding a little water or broth if the liquid reduces too much. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
3. Stir in the pasta and simmer until al dente according to package time. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan to serve.