Description
A comforting recipe combining savory meatballs, leafy greens, and tender pasta in a rich chicken broth, perfect for family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup small pasta (like acini di pepe or orzo)
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 onion, diced
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until combined and form into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
- In a large pot, heat the chicken broth over medium heat until simmering.
- Add diced carrot, celery, and onion to the pot and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Carefully add the meatballs to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes, gently stirring until browned and cooked through.
- Stir in the small pasta and cook until tender, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add the fresh spinach and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until wilted.
- Serve the soup hot, garnished with extra Parmesan if desired.
Notes
For a lighter option, substitute ground turkey for ground beef. Can be adapted to be gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs and pasta.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 50mg