Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 300kcal
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 8 oz lean ground beef
- 8 oz ground pork
- ½ cup fresh white bread crumbs (from fresh bread, not dried)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 ½ teaspoon minced fresh oregano (or ¾ teaspoon dried)
- ½ cup finely shredded Parmesan
- 1 large egg
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups chopped carrots
- 1 ¼ cups chopped yellow onion
- ¾ cup chopped celery
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (1 ½ Tbsp)
- 5 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup dry acini di pepe or orzo pasta
- 6 oz fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Finely shredded Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
Preparation
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the lean ground beef and ground pork.
- Add the fresh white bread crumbs, chopped parsley, minced oregano, shredded Parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Gently toss the mixture and mix it evenly with your hands.
- Form small meatballs, about ¾ inch to 1 inch in diameter, and place them on a large plate.
Cooking Meatballs
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add half of the meatballs in a single layer and brown them on two or three sides for about 4 minutes.
- Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, and repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.
Soup Preparation
- While the meatballs are cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the chopped carrots, onions, and celery, and sauté until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, stirring well.
- Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Stir in the dry acini di pepe or orzo pasta and the partially cooked meatballs.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In the last minute, add the roughly chopped fresh baby spinach and stir until wilted.
Serving
- Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each serving with shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.
Notes
Use fresh ingredients for the best flavor. Don't skip browning the meatballs for enhanced taste. Adjust seasoning to taste and consider adding more pasta for a thicker soup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 720mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g
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