Description
This Creamy Italian Meatball Soup combines tender homemade meatballs with a rich, savory broth enhanced by Parmesan and fresh spinach. Perfect for warming your soul on chilly days, this comforting soup offers a delightful balance of flavors and creamy texture in just 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly then form the mixture into small, bite-sized meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches, browning them for about 5 minutes until golden on all sides. Remove the browned meatballs and set them aside to keep warm.
- Sauté the onion: In the same pot, add the chopped onion and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the meatballs to add flavor.
- Add broth and simmer: Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer to prepare for cooking the meatballs through.
- Cook the meatballs in soup: Return the browned meatballs to the pot and simmer for about 15 minutes, ensuring they are cooked through and tender.
- Add cream and spinach: Stir in the heavy cream and fresh spinach. Continue cooking until the spinach wilts, which should take approximately 2 minutes, making the soup creamy and flavorful.
- Serve garnished: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish generously with fresh basil leaves before serving for a fresh, aromatic finish.
Notes
- Use fresh spinach for best texture and flavor; baby spinach works well for quicker wilting.
- Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper at the end to taste.
- Substitute ground turkey or chicken for ground beef for a leaner option.
- For a richer soup, you can add more heavy cream or a splash of white wine into the broth.
- Breadcrumbs help bind the meatballs; panko breadcrumbs can be used for a lighter texture.
