Italian Meatball Soup

Ingredients

• 16 oz mini meatballs (One package; regular meatballs may also be used.)
• 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 heavy cream (Optional; the source does not specify the unit.)
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• garlic powder (The source lists garlic powder alongside the Italian seasoning but gives no separate amount.)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cups uncooked pasta (The author used shellbows; the directions refer to them as Shelbows.)
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 0.25 cup grated Parmesan (Plus more for serving.)
• salt (To taste; use a pinch when sautéing the vegetables.)
• black pepper (To taste.)

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 are 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 additional grated 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 heavy cream as “1/4” without specifying a unit, and does not provide a separate amount for garlic powder.

Nutrition per serving

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