Italien Meatball soup

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Soup:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups chopped spinach or kale
• 1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini or small shells)
• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions:

Prepare the Meatballs:

1. In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, egg, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
2. Mix until well combined.
3. Shape the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.

Brown the Meatballs:

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Brown the meatballs on all sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked at this point.
3. Remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside.

Sauté Vegetables:

1. In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic.
2. Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

Simmer Soup:

1. Pour in the beef or vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with their juice.
2. Add dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper.
3. Bring the soup to a simmer.

Add Meatballs and Pasta:

1. Carefully add the browned meatballs back to the pot.
2. Add the chopped spinach or kale and small pasta.
3. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the pasta is tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Adjust Seasoning:

1. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Serve:

1. Ladle the Italian Meatball Soup into bowls.
2. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.
3. Serve hot and enjoy!

Note: You can customize the soup by adding other vegetables like zucchini or adding a pinch of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.

This Italian Meatball Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish, perfect for a satisfying and hearty meal. Buon Appetito!