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:
- In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, egg, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
- Mix until well combined.
- Shape the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
Brown the Meatballs:
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Brown the meatballs on all sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked at this point.
- Remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside.
Sauté Vegetables:
- In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic.
- Sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
Simmer Soup:
- Pour in the beef or vegetable broth and diced tomatoes with their juice.
- Add dried oregano, dried basil, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper.
- Bring the soup to a simmer.
Add Meatballs and Pasta:
- Carefully add the browned meatballs back to the pot.
- Add the chopped spinach or kale and small pasta.
- Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the pasta is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Adjust Seasoning:
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Serve:
- Ladle the Italian Meatball Soup into bowls.
- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.
- 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!
