Italian Meatball Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

1 pound of ground beef (preferably 90% lean)

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley

1 egg

1/3 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup of Italian breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

Cooking spray

For the Soup:

2 teaspoons of olive oil

1/2 cup of finely diced onion

2 stalks of celery, sliced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes (do not drain)

16-ounce can of tomato sauce

6 cups of beef broth

1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup of dry short pasta (such as ditalini)

2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley

Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Instructions:Begin by preheating the broiler.
For the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine all the
neatball ingredients. Use a large spoon or your
hands to thoroughly mix everything. lf necessary
add a few teaspoons of water to ease the mixing
process.
Shape the meat mixture into small balls,
approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch in size. Place the
meatballs on a sheet pan lined with cooking spray,
and lightly coat the tops of the meatballs with
cooking spray
Broil the meatballs for 8-10 minutes until they are
lightly browned.
While the meatballs are cooking, heat the olive oil in
a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion,
sliced celery, and diced carrots,
Cook the vegetables for 4-5 minutes until they begin
to soften. Then, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato
sauce, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and
pepper to the pot
Bring the mixture to a simmer, and then add the
meatballs and dry pasta to the soup. Simmer for
about 10 minutes, or until the pasta and vegetables
are tender.
Before serving, top the soup with freshly chopped
parsley. Optionally, serve with Parmesan