Description
This hearty Italian Meatball Soup combines tender homemade meatballs with a savory broth, fresh vegetables, and cannellini beans for a comforting and nutritious meal. Perfect for a family dinner, this soup offers rich flavors from Italian seasonings and Parmesan cheese, making it both satisfying and flavorful.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped or shredded
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- â…“ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (29 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- â…“ cup grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the extra lean ground beef, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, egg, salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs, yielding approximately 25-30 meatballs. Place them in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the soup.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and chopped celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Make Soup: Pour in the low-sodium beef broth and water. Add the canned diced tomatoes with their juice, drained and rinsed cannellini beans, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine all ingredients. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Cook Meatballs: Gently add the prepared meatballs into the boiling soup. After adding them, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Check to ensure the meatballs are cooked through (should be no longer pink in the center).
- Serve: Turn off the heat and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with grated Parmesan cheese for garnish. Serve hot and enjoy your comforting Italian Meatball Soup.
Notes
- Using extra lean ground beef helps reduce fat content but still keeps the meatballs tender.
- Refrigerating the meatballs before cooking helps them hold their shape better in the soup.
- Feel free to add spinach or kale in the last few minutes of cooking for added greens.
- Low-sodium broth is recommended to control salt levels, but adjust seasoning to taste.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
