Description
This hearty Italian Meatball Soup is the ultimate comfort food! With tender homemade meatballs, fresh vegetables, and pasta in a delicious tomato-based broth with Parmesan cheese, it’s a treat your taste buds won’t forget!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 slice soft bread (approx. ¾ cup fluffed bread crumbs)
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (fresh if possible)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
For the soup:
- 2 large carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 2 ribs celery (chopped)
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 can diced or crushed tomatoes (28oz)
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 1 cup ditalini pasta (uncooked)
- 2 cups spinach (roughly chopped)
- ½ cup marinara sauce
Instructions
- Make bread crumbs: Tear soft bread into small pieces and use a food processor to process it into fine crumbs.
- Mix the meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, ground beef, pork, Parmesan, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Be careful not to overmix the mixture.
- Form the meatballs: Let the mixture sit for 10-20 minutes. Shape it into 1-inch balls (around 30-35 meatballs).
- Cook the meatballs: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on both sides for about 2 minutes per side, then remove them from the pot and set them aside.
Step 2: Make the Soup
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pot, cook carrots, celery, and onion in the leftover fat from the meatballs until they are crisp-tender (about 5 minutes).
- Add flavor: Stir in tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute to let the flavors develop.
- Build the broth: Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and the Parmesan rind to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Cook the vegetables: Simmer for 5 minutes until the vegetables are almost tender.
- Add pasta and meatballs: Stir in uncooked ditalini pasta and meatballs. Cover the pot and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
- Finish the soup: Stir in spinach and marinara sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh Parmesan cheese and vegetables elevate the flavor.
- Make ahead: You can prepare the meatballs in advance and freeze them for quicker meal prep.
- Dietary substitutions: For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and pasta. You can also substitute ground turkey or chicken for a leaner version of this Meatball Soup.