Creamy Italian Meatball Soup
Every spoonful is loaded with savory Italian meatballs in a creamy broth with mushrooms and fresh spinach.
Servings: 12
Calories: 532kcal
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup minced onion , (about 1/2 large onion)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 lb ground pork , beef, or veal
- 1 lb Italian sausage , mild or hot Italian
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs , like panko
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 1 heaping teaspoon dry Italian herb blend (less if using seasoned crumbs)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SOUP:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups diced onion (1 large onion)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms , rinsed and sliced
- 3 cups sliced carrot rounds , 4-5 large carrots
- 4 stalks celery , coarsely chopped
- 48 ounces beef stock
- 2 teaspoons dry Italian herb blend
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 8 ounces fresh spinach
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- Saute the onion for the meatballs in a medium skillet with olive oil to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, mix the egg, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, milk, parsley, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper until well blended and set aside to allow bread crumbs to absorb the liquid.
- In a separate large bowl, mix the pork and Italian sausage to combine and then mix in the onions and egg mixture until well incorporated. Roll into bite-size meatballs (or use a small meatball scoop) and place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet about an inch apart.
- Broil on high in the oven (about 10 inches from the oven coil) for about 8 minutes or until cooked through.
FOR THE SOUP:
- In a soup pot, saute the onion for the soup in olive oil for 8 minutes to soften and caramelize (brown at the edges). Stir in the garlic, carrots, celery, mushrooms and continue to cook another 6-8 minutes until vegetables release liquid and begin to brown (add oil if the pan is too dry).
- Stir in the beef stock, dry herbs, red pepper flakes, and meatballs to the pot with the vegetables and simmer 10 minutes to meld flavors. (Broth should just cover the contents, but more can be added, if desired.)
- Stir in spinach, cream, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Allow to simmer 5 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as desired.
Notes
Recipe TIPS:
- Skip softening the onions for the meatballs if you don’t mind a little onion crunch (we found cooking the onions in advance made it more palatable for our kids)
- Keep meatballs from sticking to your hands while rolling by wetting your hands with a little bit of water or oil.
- For fresher-tasting results when making this recipe ahead, wait to add the spinach until reheating the soup after it’s been frozen. Add fresh spinach during the last few minutes of heating it through.
- Gluten-free, use gluten-free panko crumbs
- Add cooked pasta or rice
- Substitute kale or other leafy greens for the spinach
- Substitute sauteed vegetables like zucchini or cauliflower for the mushrooms
- Use premade frozen meatballs
- Substitute ground dark meat turkey or chicken for the pork in the meatballs
- Substitute 1 slice of bread (torn into small pieces) for ½ cup bread crumbs
- Make ahead and freeze
Nutrition
Calories: 532kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 899mg | Potassium: 923mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 7962IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 2mg