Description
This Creamy Italian Meatball Soup is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender homemade meatballs simmered in a savory tomato and chicken broth base, enriched with heavy cream and fresh herbs. Packed with vegetables like carrots, celery, and spinach, it’s a hearty meal perfect for warming up on chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/3 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Additional salt and pepper, to taste
Garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated to form the meatball base.
- Shape the Meatballs: Roll the mixture into small, uniform meatballs approximately 1 inch in diameter, ensuring they are tightly packed but not overworked.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches to avoid overcrowding, and cook until they are browned on all sides. Once browned, transfer them to a plate and set aside to retain juices.
- Sauté the Aromatics and Vegetables: In the same pot with the residual oil and meatball drippings, add chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they soften and begin to release their flavors.
- Add Broth and Tomatoes: Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes with their juice. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a rolling boil, which helps meld the flavors together.
- Simmer with Meatballs: Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and carefully return the browned meatballs to the pot. Allow the soup to cook uncovered for about 20 minutes so the meatballs cook through and the flavors deepen.
- Incorporate Cream, Spinach, and Basil: Stir in the heavy cream, baby spinach, and fresh chopped basil. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the spinach wilts and the soup becomes creamy and aromatic.
- Season to Taste: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed to balance the flavors perfectly.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish generously with grated Parmesan cheese before serving. Enjoy this warm, comforting Italian-style meatball soup.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, but cream adds richness.
- You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months; thaw and reheat gently on the stovetop.
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when sautéing the vegetables.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the pan when browning meatballs to ensure even cooking and browning.
- Fresh herbs like basil add brightness; feel free to garnish with extra for enhanced flavor.
