Italian Meatball Soup
A hearty and flavorful Italian Meatball Soup that combines tender meatballs and hearty vegetables in a savory broth.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- large bowl
- large pot
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef 90% lean
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 unit egg
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese finely grated
- ⅓ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the soup
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion finely diced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 2 carrots peeled and diced
- 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes do not drain
- 16 ounce can tomato sauce
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup dry short pasta such as ditalini
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- parmesan cheese for serving, optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the broiler to medium or high heat. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray.
- Place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Stir with a large spoon or use your hands to combine all the ingredients. You can add a few teaspoons of water if needed to make the process easier.
- Shape the meat mixture into small balls (½ inch to ¾ inch in size). Place on the prepared baking sheet. Coat the tops of the meatballs with cooking spray.
- Broil for 8-10 minutes until meatballs are lightly browned.
- While the meatballs are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots.
- Cook the vegetables for 4-5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and pasta to the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until pasta and vegetables are tender.
- Top with parsley. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
I use 90% lean ground beef. It has plenty of flavor but is not overly greasy. You can use any short pasta you like for this soup. I use ditalini, but other great choices are macaroni, rotini, or orzo pasta.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 279kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 24gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 640mgPotassium: 982mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 4145IUVitamin C: 16.5mgCalcium: 167mgIron: 4.7mg
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