This classic Italian soup contains tasty little pork-beef meatballs, vegetables, and baby spinach leaves.
Recipe by: Mayumi Tavalero
Cook Times
Active Prep20
Hands-On Cook20
Hands-Off Cook10
Passive0
Total Time50 minutesminutes
Recipe Serving Size10
Cooking Tools Required
12-inch skillet, 5-quart saucepot
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
16ounceground beef
16ounceground pork
¾cupplain breadcrumbs
1bunchItalian parsleychopped
1tablespoonfresh oreganominced
¾cupparmesan cheesefinely grated
2egg
2teaspoonKosher salt
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
2tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
For the soup:
2tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
2carrotmedium, diced
1yellow onionlarge, diced
2stalk celerydiced
6clovegarlicfinely chopped
12cuplow-sodium chicken broth
1cupdry orzo pasta
8ouncefresh spinach
For serving:
1cupparmesan cheesegrated
Instructions
To make the meatballs, add the beef and pork to a large mixing bowl. Add in bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, parmesan, egg, salt and pepper. Gently toss and break up mixture with hands to evenly coat and distribute. Shape mixture into very small meatballs, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch and transfer to a large plate.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook until browned, turning occasionally (to brown on 2 or 3 sides), about 4 minutes total. Transfer meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels while leaving oil in skillet. Repeat process with remaining meatballs (meatballs will not be fully cooked through at this point, but they'll continue to cook through in the soup).
While meatballs are browning, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onions and celery and saute until vegetables are soft, about 6 - 8 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Pour in chicken broth, season soup with salt and pepper to taste and bring mixture to a boil. Add in pasta and meatballs, reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender and meatballs have cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add spinach during the last minute of cooking time. Plate and sprinkle each serving with parmesan cheese.
Reheating Instructions
Heat in microwave on high power until heated through.