As the weather gets colder and our days get busier I’ve been trying to find recipes to warm our tummies, but don’t take a lot of time (to prepare, cook or clean-up). Both of my kids LOVE soup…pretty much any kind from tomato to escarole to chicken noodle! So I decided this year I’m going to start making more soup!
I asked around on my message board and got a nice long list of recipes to inspire me! And the first one up was Mini Meatball Soup. This was super easy to make. The most difficult part was rolling meatballs, but really that’s not very hard…just tedious! And the end result was exactly what I was hoping for! My kids liked it, it warmed our bellies on a cold snowy day…..and it was DELISH! I changed the recipe around a bit to fit the ingredients I had on hand, and it all worked together! I used ground turkey…which is basically all I use when a recipe calls for ground beef or pork…it’s always in my fridge or freezer and I, personally like the taste better! I also opted to not use spinach. I was worried if I included it, my kids wouldn’t eat the soup….which is weird because they will both eat escarole…but neither will eat spinach! So I didn’t put it in this time, but maybe I’ll try it next time! I did add a can of cannellini beans just to give it a little extra substance! Anyway, if you are craving a good, hearty soup on a cold, winter day…..give this one a try!
Mini Meatball Soup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 can cannellini beans
1 pound ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups dried pasta (I used elbows)
In a deep pot over medium heat add oil, chopped carrots, celery and onions and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Cover pot and cook veggies 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the veggies cook, combine meat, egg, garlic, grated cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg.
Uncover your soup pot and add broth and water to the pot. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. When soup boils, reduce heat a bit and add beans. Start to roll meat mixture into small balls, dropping them straight into the pot. They will cook in the pot! Cover and simmer soup 10-20 minutes.
While soup is simmering, boil a separate pot of water and cook pasta as directed on box. Remove and drain.
When you are ready to serve the soup, serve individual bowls of pasta and then spoon the soup over it! If you cook the pasta in the soup pot and aren’t ready to eat it when it is ready…or don’t plan on finishing the whole pot of soup at one meal…the pasta will get very soft and mushy…from sitting in the chicken stock. So my tip is to spoon the pasta into a bowl and then spoon the soup over it!
I like to add a little grated parmesan or romano cheese on my soup (something I learned from my dad)…so feel free to add a sprinkle! 🙂 I also served it with delicious crusty bread and butter!
~gianna~
Eats So Sweet 
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