Easy Italian Meatball Soup

Ingredients

For the meatballs

450 g (1 lb) ground beef (at least 15% fat)

2 medium garlic cloves, crushed

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried sage

½ teaspoon dried parsley

1 medium egg

25g (⅓ cup) grated Parmesan

30 g (1 ounce) breadcrumbs

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Oil spray

For the soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 x 400 g (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 litre (4 cups) beef stock

1 tablespoon dried oregano

150 g (1 ½ cup) elbow pasta (or another type of short pasta)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

25g (⅓ cup) grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C (375 degrees F). Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Add the ground beef, garlic, herbs, egg, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Add a dash of water if needed.

Using a scoop or a spoon, shape the mixture into 1 ½ inch meatballs. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. You should have a total of 25-30 meatballs. Spray the meatballs with oil spray and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or a Dutch oven and saute the onion, carrot, and celery for 7-8 minutes over medium heat.

Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant. Next, stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef stock, and oregano. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the pasta and continue to simmer for 10-12 minutes until al dente. Transfer the baked meatballs to the pot and stir in the fresh parsley and Parmesan.

Season to taste and serve on its own or with some crusty bread.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 651Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 1474mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 46g