Crock Pot Pasta e Fagioli Soup

This is my pasta e fagioli soup recipe that I posted last year, just updated to be made in the crockpot and it is just great fixed in the crockpot! I really liked being able to throw it all together in the morning and not have to worry about dinner during our busy late afternoon. I served it with bread sticks and it was a great Olive Garden-ish dinner at home.

Crock Pot Pasta e Fagioli Soup

1 lb hamburger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
3 teaspoons minced garlic
11.5 oz can spicy V8 juice
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce
4 cups chicken stock
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (or 4 cubes)
15 oz can dark red kidney beans, undrained
15 oz can great northern beans, undrained
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1 1/2 cups ditalini pasta
grated Parmesan

In a large skillet brown ground beef until almost cooked through. Add kosher salt, pepper to taste, chopped onion, chopped carrots, chopped celery, and minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Pour this into a large slow cooker. Add V8, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken stock, beef bouillon, kidney beans, great northern beans, vinegar, basil, oregano, and thyme. Cook on low for 6 hours. Add ditalini pasta and cook on low for another 45 minutes - 1 hour. Serve individual servings with grated Parmesan.