Easy 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 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 author used shellbows; cook according to the package directions.)
• 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.)

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 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.

9. 9

   Taste the soup and adjust the salt and black pepper.

10. 10

    Serve the soup topped with additional Parmesan.

Notes

For leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl when serving; otherwise, the pasta will continue absorbing the soup and become very soft. The quantity of garlic powder is not specified in the source.

Nutrition per serving

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