Description
Hearty Italian meatball soup brings robust flavors from traditional family recipes straight to your kitchen. Savory ground beef meatballs simmer gently in rich tomato broth, promising warmth and comfort with each delicious spoonful you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or mix of beef and pork)
- 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken or beef broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes (with juice)
- 1 cup (85 g) small pasta (ditalini, orzo, or mini shells)
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale, roughly chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup (30 g) breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsps chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Meatball Preparation: Thoroughly blend ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a spacious mixing bowl. Craft compact spherical morsels approximately one inch in diameter.
- Meatball Searing: Heat olive oil in a substantial pot over medium flame. Carefully introduce meatballs in controlled batches, rotating to achieve uniform golden-brown exterior (5-7 minutes). Temporarily relocate browned meatballs to a separate plate.
- Vegetable Foundation: Within the identical pot, replenish olive oil if necessary. Sauté chopped onion, carrots, celery, and garlic until vegetables transform into tender, translucent components (4-5 minutes).
- Liquid Integration: Incorporate broth, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Elevate temperature to boiling point, then reduce to gentle simmer for 10 minutes, allowing flavors to harmonize.
- Meatball and Pasta Incorporation: Reintroduce previously seared meatballs into simmering liquid. Cascade pasta into pot, cooking until pasta reaches al dente consistency and meatballs complete internal cooking (8-10 minutes).
- Final Embellishment: Gently fold fresh spinach or kale, permitting greens to wilt seamlessly (1-2 minutes). Distribute soup into serving vessels, garnishing with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley. Recommend accompanying with crusty bread or crisp salad.
Notes
- Choose ground beef with 80/20 fat content for juicier, more flavorful meatballs that won’t dry out during cooking.
- Mix ingredients gently and avoid overworking the meat to keep meatballs tender and soft.
- Add pasta near the end of cooking to prevent overcooking and maintain perfect al dente texture.
- Substitute ground beef with turkey or plant-based alternatives, use gluten-free breadcrumbs, and swap regular pasta with zucchini noodles for low-carb version.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg