In a pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the ground beef, and cooked until browned, breaking into crumbles. Drain any excess fat.
1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound lean ground beef
Transfer the beef to a 7-quart slow cooker. Add the onions, carrots, celery, broth, tomato sauce, beans, seasonings, and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine, and adjust the seasonings to taste.
1 medium onion, 3 whole carrots, 3 celery stalks, 6-8 cups low sodium beef broth*, 1 can cannellini beans, 1 can chickpeas, 1 can kidney beans, 1 teaspoons thyme, 2 teaspoon oregano, 2 teaspoons basil, 2 whole bay leaves, 3 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste, 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste, 8 ounces tomato sauce, 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
Cover and cook on high for 3 ½ hours.
Add the uncooked orzo pasta, stir, and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
3/4 cup dried orzo pasta or ditalini
Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.
Optional Garnish: Parmesan cheese and parsley
Store orzo and soup separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Add an additional 1-2 cups broth as needed to thin out the soup.