Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 pound ground beef (450g), ideally 80/20 for flavor
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (794g)
- 6 cups beef broth (1.4 L)
- 1 cup frozen green beans (140g)
- 1 cup frozen corn (140g)
- 1 cup frozen peas (140g)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup uncooked small pasta (e.g., ditalini, macaroni) (45g)
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Stir in green beans, corn, peas, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the pasta and continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve hot.