MINI MEATBALL SOUP

Mini Meatball Soup image

Provided by deb baldwin

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 19

2 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
2 peeled carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion (i use 1/2 onion), chopped
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
MEATBALLS
1 lb ground beef or pork (italian sausage), or combined
1 egg, beaten
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c parmigiano-reggiano, grated
1/2 c plain bread crumbs
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
SOUP
6 c chicken broth or stock
2 c water
1 1/2 c dried pasta, egg noodle or your choice
1 lb triple washed fresh spinich, coursley chopped
or use kale

Steps:

1. In a deep pot, over medium heat, add oil, chopped carrots, celery, and onion and bay leaves. (I use my mini-processer and finely chop carrots and onions) Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook veggies for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. While veggies cook, combine meat, egg, garlic, grated cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a seperate bowl.
3. Uncover your soup pot and add broth and water to the pot. Increase heat a bit and bring soup to a boil. When soup boils, reduce heat a bit and start to roll meat mixture into small balls, dropping them straight into pot. You are making meat dumplings that will cook in the broth. When you are done rolling the meat, add the pasta to soup and stir. Cover and simmer soup for 10 to 20 minutes. Remove the 2 bay leaves. When pasta is tender, stir in chopped spinich in batches. When spinich is wilted, soup is done. Adjust your seasonings if needed.
4. I do not add the spinach. I add more meatballs or noodles. A person could put in kale instead.