A hearty meatball soup loaded with veggies, Italian herbs and flavorful broth.
Meatball Soup
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons uncooked white rice
¼ cup grated carrot or zucchini
½ cup finely chopped onion, divided
1 ¼ cup finely chopped tomato, divided
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon chopped fresh mint or ¼ teaspoon dried mint (optional)
8 ounces ground meat, 15% fat or less (beef, chicken, turkey or pork)
¼ cup plain bread crumbs (optional)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
6 cups low-sodium broth (any type)
1 or 2 sprigs fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
2 cups chopped vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned)
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
- For meatballs: In a medium bowl, mix together the rice, carrot, ¼ cup onion, ¼ cup tomato, egg, salt, oregano and mint, if desired. Mix in ground meat. Add bread crumbs to help the mixture stick together, if desired.
- Using the palms of your hands or a scoop, roll the mixture into balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Set the meatballs aside and wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw meat.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add ¼ cup onion and 1 cup tomato and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in broth, oregano and garlic powder, if desired. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Add meatballs to the broth. Cover and simmer until the internal temperature of a meatball reaches 165 degrees on a food thermometer, about 20 minutes.
- Add vegetables to the soup and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
- Top with a squeeze of lime juice and chopped cilantro.
- No breadcrumbs? Use 1 Tablespoon cornstarch instead.
Thanks to the OSU Extension Latin Heritage Workgroup for this recipe.
You might also like...
Black Bean Brownies (with flour)
Black Bean Brownies (with flour)
Surprise yourself and others with these chocolatey cake-like brownies made with black beans.
Prepare:
20 minutes
Cook:
15 minutes
Makes:
16 pieces
Eggplant Pizza Slices
Eggplant Pizza Slices
Cheesy, melty and topped with a dash of crunchy breadcrumbs.
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
20 minutes
Makes:
8 Slices
Spinach Pasta Salad
Spinach Pasta Salad
This fun and delicious pasta salad recipe combines fresh veggies, crunchy seeds, tangy fruit and tender pasta with a savory teriyaki dressing.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Makes:
5 cups
Prepare:
10 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
4 Cups
Orange Rice Salad
Orange Rice Salad
This flavorful combination of rice, citrus, nuts and raisins makes a popular side dish. Add a protein for a filling and satisfying lunch.
Prepare:
15 minutes
Makes:
5 cups
Vegetarian Tofu Enchiladas
Vegetarian Tofu Enchiladas
Tofu provides protein while mushrooms provide texture and umami flavor in these easy enchiladas.
Prepare:
30 minutes
Cook:
30 minutes
Makes:
8 pieces
Comments
This is a simple and tasty recipe. I was happy to have both herbs growing in pots. We loved the mint in the meatballs. We used ground beef and beef broth.