Italian Meatball Soup - Damn Delicious

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Italian Meatball Soup - The COZIEST soup with homemade, tender, juicy meatballs, little pasta noodles (ditalini pasta) and sneaked in greens!

The COZIEST soup with homemade, tender, juicy meatballs, little pasta noodles (ditalini pasta) and sneaked in greens!

Italian Meatball Soup - The COZIEST soup with homemade, tender, juicy meatballs, little pasta noodles (ditalini pasta) and sneaked in greens!

It’s freezing cold outside but I have everything I need right here with the coziest meatball soup. It is basically a giant hug in a bowl that just makes you feel so warm and fuzzy inside.

Italian Meatball Soup - The COZIEST soup with homemade, tender, juicy meatballs, little pasta noodles (ditalini pasta) and sneaked in greens!

Made with completely homemade little meatballs (store-bought is completely fine if you’re in a pinch), ditalini pasta (my favorite little tube-like pasta), and sneaked-in greens (totally fine to swap out spinach for the kale or your favorite greens).

Italian Meatball Soup - The COZIEST soup with homemade, tender, juicy meatballs, little pasta noodles (ditalini pasta) and sneaked in greens!

It’s an incredibly versatile recipe, and I sometimes make it ahead of time, stirring in the kale right before serving. I also always have a fresh baguette on standby for dipping purposes.

Italian Meatball Soup - The COZIEST soup with homemade, tender, juicy meatballs, little pasta noodles (ditalini pasta) and sneaked in greens!

for the meatballs

  • ¾ pound lean ground beef
  • ¾ pound Italian sausage, casing removed
  • ½ onion, grated
  • cup Panko
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the soup

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • ¾ cups ditalini pasta
  • ½ bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

for the meatballs

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • In a large bowl, combine ground beef, Italian sausage, onion, Panko, milk, egg, Parmesan, parsley, garlic and basil; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 3/4-inch meatballs, about 1 tablespoon per meatball, forming about 45 meatballs.

  • Place meatballs in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes; set aside.

for the soup

  • Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

  • Gradually whisk in chicken stock and tomato sauce. Stir in meatballs. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.

  • Stir in pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.

  • Stir in kale until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in basil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

  • Serve immediately.

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