Sunday is our day to rest, which includes a rest from cooking, so dinners throughout the week have to carry us through the weekend. As the weather turns colder, soup is ideal to comfort from the chill in the air, as well as provide for Sunday’s break from the kitchen. I have had this Minestrone Soup recipe rolling around in my head for months. It is one of those things you have to get into the kitchen to work it out—even take an entire day just to make it as you imagined. Well, that’s how it is for me, anyway.
Yes, I’ve had those times when not all the tweaks and additions measure up to what my taste buds anticipated, though it is never a waste, I always learn. Fortunately, yesterday wasn’t one of those times 
. This recipe turned to gold right before my eyes with beefy broth, loads of savory vegetables, and tender meatballs.
Rolling mini-meatballs can be a bit tedious, but I am a perfect bite kind of gal, so there has to be more than just a meatball on the spoon. The blue cheese is subtle, blending with the Parmesan beautifully, packing deep flavor in each morsel—it was exactly as I imagined. If it is the perfect bite you’re after, you will want a hearty, crusty bread to soak up every drop of the delicious broth too.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs [for gluten-free, use GF bread]
- 3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano -- grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley -- minced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons unrefined sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion -- finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic -- minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1/2 pound hot Italian sausage -- casing removed
- 1/4 cup blue cheese -- crumbled fine
- 3 quarts beef stock
- 2x3 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups leeks -- white and light green part only, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup fennel bulb -- sliced, then coarsely chopped
- 1 cup celery -- chopped
- 6 cloves garlic -- minced
- 1 cup carrots -- diced
- 1 1/2 cups parsnips -- diced
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary leaves -- crushed fine
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cans diced tomatoes -- crushed or pulsed in processor
- 1 can red kidney beans -- drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups dry pasta [for gluten-free, use Ancient Harvest Quinoa Shells
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves -- lightly packed
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley -- minced
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs with milk and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in the bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, sugar, and spices; set aside.
- Saute onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until softened.
- Mix meats and blue cheese together, add egg and spice mixture and onions; mix thoroughly. Shape into small 1/2" meatballs. Place meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Broil on HI until lightly browned, about 6-8 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on size of meatballs. Break one open to be sure they are cooked through, extend cooking time if needed.
- Set meatballs aside to finish the soup. Note: This meatball recipe will produce more than is needed for the soup, though you can add as many as you like. Add the remaining meatballs to a pasta sauce or use for appetizers, simply freeze until ready to use.
- Pour beef stock into a soup pot and add a 2x3" piece of Parmesan rind, bring to a low simmer (if you do not have Parmesan rind, grate some Parmesan into the stock). In a skillet over medium heat, saute leeks, fennel, and celery in half the olive oil until the vegetables begin to caramelize. Add garlic and continue to cook until garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add to the soup pot with stock.
- In the same skillet, saute the carrots and parsnips in the other half of the olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle with the oregano, rosemary, and red pepper flakes and cook until vegetables begin to brown lightly and herbs are fragrant. Add to the soup pot.
- Crush the tomatoes by hand or in a food processor until desired consistency. Add tomatoes with juices to the pot along with the drained kidney beans and meatballs. Stir to combine and simmer until flavors meld and vegetables are cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Add dry pasta, spinach, and parsley to the soup and simmer an additional 15 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with more Parmesan and serve with crusty bread or Parmesan-Garlic toasts.
Notes
This meatball recipe will produce more than is needed for the soup, though you can add as many as you like. Add the remaining meatballs to a pasta sauce or use for appetizers, simply freeze until ready to use.
Shared on the following Blog Hops:
The Healthy Home Economist Monday Mania
Premeditated Leftovers Hearth & Soul Hop
SS&GF Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Real Food Forager Fat Tuesday
The Nourishing Gourmet Pennywise Platter Thursday
Mom Trends Food Friday
Real Food Whole Health Fresh Bites Friday
EKat’s Kitchen Friday Potluck
Easy Natural Food Sunday Soup Night
This is one hearty bowl of soup! And those meatballs! I can’t imagine any of this soup making it till Monday unless you hide it!
Those meatballs and the croutons are really putting this over the edge for me!
It simply must be eaten with crispy bread, MUST!
I’ve never thought of making meatballs with blue cheese. That is simply brilliant!
I know, how many times have I put blue cheese in a burger, so why not meatballs, right?! Quite delicious.
Great looking dish, especially the meatballs.
Thanks for linking your great post to FAT TUESDAY. This was very interesting! Hope to see you next week!
Be sure to visit RealFoodForager.com on Sunday for Sunday Snippets – your post from Fat Tuesday may be featured there!
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/10/fat-tuesday-november-1-2011/
If you have grain-free recipes please visit my Grain-Free Linky Carnival in support of my 28 day grain-free challenge! It will be open until November 2.
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/10/grain-free-real-food-linky-carnival/
Holy wow does this sound and look amazing! I have pinned it so that I don’t forget where to find it. I am so glad I found your blog through the Heart and Soul Hop
I would love it if you checked out my blog some time: http://www.copingwithfrugality.com
The meatballs in this look divine! I’m hosting a weekly blog carnival specifically for soups, stocks and chowders, every Sunday. I would love it if you would come over and post this recipe. Here’s a link with more info.
http://easynaturalfood.com/2011/10/17/introducing-sunday-night-soup-night/
I hope to see you there!
Debbie
Wow does this look good, thanks for sharing with the Hearth and Soul hop.