Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Season all over with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, parmesan, breadcrumbs and herbs. Mix gently until just combined.

Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip gently and brown the other side for another 3 to 4 minutes. Shake the pan, tossing the meatballs around. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.

To the same pot, add a drizzle of olive oil if there isn’t any left. Add in the onions, carrots, celery and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the basil, oregano, thyme and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste so it coats all the vegetables. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until it deepens in color.

Add the diced tomatoes, beans, stock and parmesan rind. Add the meatballs back in. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or longer. This can even simmer covered for an hour.

Remove the lid and add the green beans and the pasta. Cook for another 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender.

Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately with parmesan cheese!