Step 1

Place olive oil in a Dutch oven along with the garlic and chopped onions.

Step 2

Add salt and ground black pepper and saute over medium heat until the onions begin to soften.

Step 3

Add the celery, carrots and bell peppers to the pot and saute until they soften a bit.

Step 4

Stir in the tomato puree and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer.

Step 5

Add beans along with two cups of vegetable broth or the bean cooking liquid, if you cooked them from scratch. You can always add more stock later if you want a soupier soup.

Step 6

Stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring the fasolada to a boil, cover, lower heat and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.