Heat a large pot over medium high heat and add canola oil. When oil is hot, add carrots, onion, and celery, cook and stir until vegetables have softened slightly, about 3-4 minutes.
Add Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, paprika, pepper and pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
Add ground beef, stirring to crumble, and cook until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
Add broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes until carrots have softened.
Stir in pasta and tomato sauce. Cover and cook, stirring often (be careful because the macaroni can stick to the bottom!) until pasta is al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Serve.
Video
Notes
This recipe makes approximately 5 1.5 cup servings.
Leftovers:
Leftover tomato macaroni soup will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. You can freeze this soup, but I recommend doing so without the pasta added. To do this, prepare as directed but leave the pasta out. Instead, cool completely, place in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, then freeze for up to 3 months.To reheat, thaw if frozen, then microwave or warm on the stove until heated through. If the soup has thickened too much, add a splash of beef broth to thin it out.
Tips:
Don’t drain the canned tomato. The liquid is used as part of the base for the soup.
Play around with consistency. I’ll admit, my version of tomato macaroni soup is more like stoup, but if you prefer a thinner soup, simply add more beef broth to thin it out.
If you prefer another pasta shape, feel free to use a different one—although it will no longer be tomato macaroni soup. Any short pasta shape will work!