Tuscan White Bean Soup(can be Gluten Free)

This may just be one of the best soups I ever made. I recently made it for a few families and they were all raving about it and said it was one of the few things that everyone in the family enjoyed. They all want the recipe, so I figured I should share it with everyone. I always double or triple the recipe because we go through it so quickly or I am sharing it.

Ingredients:
2 15.5 oz. cans cannelli beans rinsed and drained
6 oz. chopped pancetta ( I buy mine already diced in packets from Trader Joe's)
1 cup yellow onion finely diced
1 cup celery finely diced
1 tbsp fresh thyme or one tsp. dried
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
6 cups of chicken broth( I buy gluten free at Trader Joe's)
1 cup of uncooked small pasta(ditalini or small shells) you can also use a quinoa pasta that is gluten free
3 tbsp minced italian parsley
fresh grated parmesan cheese
olive oil

I drizzle olive oil to make a light covering over the bottom of the pan. Heat olive oil until a light haze forms. Add pancetta and cook stirring constantly until soft, not brown, about 3 minutes. Add onion and celery, continue cooking, stirring frequently until soft, not brown, about 5 min. Add thyme, salt and pepper. Add chicken broth, cover pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Drain beans in strainer, add to soup, cover pot and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta w/ salt until al dente. Drain and add to soup. Stir in parsley and parmesan cheese just before serving.

Note: This soup freezes well, do not add pasta if you are going to freeze. Can be frozen 3 months.