Nonna’s Mini-Meatball Soup, page 49, kid-fav
• Minimum 5-quart slow cooker Makes 6 to 8 servings This soup reminds of the one I’m served when I visit my friend Maria’s house. Her mother always has a pot of soup on the stove, or if she doesn't, she will quickly make one for you with whatever.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef 500 g
- 1 lb lean ground pork 500 g
- 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 250 mL
- 1 cup fine dry Italian bread crumbs 250 mL
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped (about 1 cup/250 mL)
- 1/2 tsp salt 2 mL
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2 mL
- 6 cups chicken broth 1.5 L
- 2 cups packed baby spinach coarsely chopped, 500 mL (or chopped escarole)
- 2 cups cooked small pasta such as elbows, tubetti, shells or stars 500 mL
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, Parmesan, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, salt and pepper. Using your hands, roll into 3/4-inch (2 cm) meatballs. Place meatballs in slow cooker stoneware. Gently pour in broth.
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Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 9 hours or on High for 41?2 to 5 hours, until soup is bubbling and meatballs are cooked through.
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Stir in spinach. Cover and cook on High for 10 to 15 minutes or until greens are wilted, bright green and tender. Stir in cooked pasta.
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Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Tip: If you don’t have homemade chicken stock, use ready-to-use chicken broth. I like to keep 32-oz (1 L) Tetra Paks of broth on hand, especially the sodium-reduced variety. They come in handy when you’re making soups and stews. Another option is to use three 10-oz (284 mL) cans of broth and add enough water to make 6 cups (1.5 L). Avoid broth cubes and powders, which tend to be salty.
Courtesy of Easy Everyday Slow Cooker Recipes by Donna-Marie Pye, 2014 © www.robertrose.ca
Reprinted with publisher permission.