Light Italian Meatball Soup

Hopefully by now you have noticed that I am soup lover, if not just go to my recipe page & scroll down to Soup/Stews/Chilis, you should find something you'll like.  I tend to prefer the cream based soups, but lately I have tried my hand at some healthier soups.  This one was delicious!  It made a LOT for my young family of four, but the leftovers were still good to eat!  This soup is tomato & beef broth based, so that makes it healthier without any cream.  The meat is lean & the vegetables give it the perfect balance between the pasta, meat & broth.  The fresh basil & parsley really makes this soup taste wholesome & good for you.  I loved this fresh, Light Italian Meatball Soup!

Light Italian Meatball Soup

Recipe lightly altered from Parade by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 carrots, peeled & diced (or about 12-14 thick baby carrots thinly sliced)
• 2 celery rib, washed & diced
• 8 cups low sodium beef broth
• 2 cups water (I left this out, but the noodles soaked up the majority of the liquid as it sat while we were eating which actually made a nice leftovers dish.)
• 4 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 (14.5oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with garlic (I used S&W Petite Cut Tomatoes Diced with Sweet Onions & Roasted Garlic in Rich Juice)
• 1/2 lb Ditalini Pasta
• 2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
• 2 Tbsp chopped basil

Meatballs:

• 1lb 97% lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp fennel
• 1 large egg

1. Make meatballs by combining all the ingredients into a large bowl.  Mix with hands to combine.  Use a 1 Tbsp scoop to portion the meat, & then roll the meatballs in your hands to make them nice & round.
2. In a large 8 quart non-stick stock pot over medium high heat, sear the meatballs on two sides.  Don't cook all the way through.  Remove meatballs & save on a plate.  (You can eliminate this step & just add the meatballs in step #5, but I think searing them adds good flavor.)
3. Return stock pot to the stove & warm olive oil.  Add carrots & celery.  Cook for 1-2 minutes.  
4. Add broth, water, tomato paste, & tomatoes.  Stir to combine.  Cover & bring to a boil.
5. Drop seared meatballs into the broth.  Cover the pot & allow to boil for 5 minutes.  Stir meatballs gently.  
6. Add pasta & cook an additional 10 minutes or until pasta is done.  Add basil & parsley; stir & serve.

Serves 8

Hopefully by now you have noticed that I am soup lover, if not just go to my recipe page & scroll down to Soup/Stews/Chilis, you should find something you'll like.  I tend to prefer the cream based soups, but lately I have tried my hand at some healthier soups.  This one was delicious!  It made a LOT for my young family of four, but the leftovers were still good to eat!  This soup is tomato & beef broth based, so that makes it healthier without any cream.  The meat is lean & the vegetables give it the perfect balance between the pasta, meat & broth.  The fresh basil & parsley really makes this soup taste wholesome & good for you.  I loved this fresh, Light Italian Meatball Soup!

Light Italian Meatball Soup

Recipe lightly altered from Parade by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 carrots, peeled & diced (or about 12-14 thick baby carrots thinly sliced)
• 2 celery rib, washed & diced
• 8 cups low sodium beef broth
• 2 cups water (I left this out, but the noodles soaked up the majority of the liquid as it sat while we were eating which actually made a nice leftovers dish.)
• 4 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 (14.5oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with garlic (I used S&W Petite Cut Tomatoes Diced with Sweet Onions & Roasted Garlic in Rich Juice)
• 1/2 lb Ditalini Pasta
• 2 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
• 2 Tbsp chopped basil

Meatballs:

• 1lb 97% lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp fennel
• 1 large egg

1. Make meatballs by combining all the ingredients into a large bowl.  Mix with hands to combine.  Use a 1 Tbsp scoop to portion the meat, & then roll the meatballs in your hands to make them nice & round.
2. In a large 8 quart non-stick stock pot over medium high heat, sear the meatballs on two sides.  Don't cook all the way through.  Remove meatballs & save on a plate.  (You can eliminate this step & just add the meatballs in step #5, but I think searing them adds good flavor.)
3. Return stock pot to the stove & warm olive oil.  Add carrots & celery.  Cook for 1-2 minutes.  
4. Add broth, water, tomato paste, & tomatoes.  Stir to combine.  Cover & bring to a boil.
5. Drop seared meatballs into the broth.  Cover the pot & allow to boil for 5 minutes.  Stir meatballs gently.  
6. Add pasta & cook an additional 10 minutes or until pasta is done.  Add basil & parsley; stir & serve.

Serves 8