Italian Meatball Soup

Ingredients

• 16 oz mini meatballs (Regular meatballs may be used instead.)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (Small, diced)
• 2 carrots (Diced)
• 2 celery stalks (Diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (Minced)
• 24 oz marinara or vodka sauce (One jar)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 0.25 cup heavy cream (Optional)
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• garlic powder (Quantity not specified in the source)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cups uncooked pasta (The creator used shellbows; cook separately for leftovers if desired)
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 0.25 cup grated Parmesan (Plus more for serving)
• salt (A pinch for sautéing, plus more to taste)
• black pepper (To taste)
• Parmesan (Extra for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and sauté for 6–8 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.

3. 3

   Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Stir in the marinara or vodka sauce, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

5. 5

   Add the mini meatballs and simmer for 8–10 minutes.

6. 6

   Stir in the uncooked shellbows or other pasta and cook according to the package directions, until just tender.

7. 7

   Add the fresh spinach and grated Parmesan. Stir until the spinach wilts.

8. 8

   Stir in the heavy cream, if using. Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper.

9. 9

   Serve the soup topped with extra Parmesan.

Notes

For leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl when serving; pasta cooked directly in the soup will continue absorbing liquid and become very soft. The source lists garlic powder without a quantity.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• Italian
• one-pot
• 30-minute meal
• weeknight dinner
• comfort food