Meatball Minestrone Soup
We may not all have a Nonna to prepare us delicious Italian favourites, so having a yummy minestrone soup recipe to turn to on chilly winter days can make us become our own nonna.
Bite-sized beef and turkey meatballs add a little heft to this tomato and kale infused soup, which also happens to be packed with hearty pasta and beans. Along with fresh grated Parmesan and crusty bread pieces for dipping, serving this meatball minestrone soup recipe plus a salad makes for a full meal deal.
Meatball Minestrone Soup Recipe:
You’ll Need
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup (6 oz/185 g) diced fresh or canned tomatoes with their juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 large fresh sage leaves
- 2 cups (15 oz/425 g) drained canned or cooked cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
- 2 cups (6 oz/185 g) packed shredded kale or chard
- 1 cup (4 oz/125 g) tubettini or other small dried pasta shape
- Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground turkey (or pork)
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1 cup fresh spinach, very finely chopped
- ¾ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
Prep and Cook
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Cook onions and garlic in olive oil in a small skillet, over medium heat, stirring occasionally until softened (about 10 minutes)
- Remove from heat and let cool
- In a large mixing bowl, combine beef, turkey, carrot, spinach, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, and salt and pepper, using a fork or your hands to mix until combined
- Stir in onion mixture
- Using your hands, form meat mixture into small, medium, or large meatballs, and space apart equally on nonstick baking sheets
- Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 15 minutes or until cooked through (break open a meatball to check)
- Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat
- Add 1 Tbsp oil and the garlic and sauté until the garlic is toasted and the oil is fragrant, about 1 minute
- Add the carrot, onion, and celery and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften and brown (about 3-4 minutes)
- Season with salt and pepper
- Add the tomatoes, bay, sage, a 2-inch (5 cm) Parmesan cheese rind (optional), and enough water (or vegetable broth) to cover the vegetables by 2-inches (5 cm) and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes
- Add the meatballs, beans, and kale and continue to simmer for 20-30 minutes
- Season to taste with salt and pepper
- Just before the soup is ready, bring a saucepan ½ full of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, stir well, and cook until al dente, according to package directions
- Drain well and divide among warmed soup bowls
- Ladle the soup over the pasta, drizzle with oil, sprinkle generously with the grated cheese, and serve with a crusty baguette and green salad
