Here’s a trip to your favorite Italian restaurant in a bowl! Italy Soup has a zesty broth full of your favorite herbs and spices and plenty of tender pasta to fill you up and amaze your tastebuds. The true stars of this constellation of taste are the homemade meatballs: truly meaty, tender, and deliciously pan-seared for an extra roast-y flavor. Mmmm, this is like a trip to Italy in every sip. Skip the airfare and whip up some Italy Soup instead!
Ingredients
For the Italian meatballs:
- 1 pound ground pork or ground chicken
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
For the soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken or veggie stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 pound small circular pasta or small elbow noodles
- extra fresh basil, optional, for serving
- parmesan, optional, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –In a large bowl, mix the pork, the egg, the breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the basil, 2 cloves of the garlic, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
Step 2 –Form the meat mixture into 1-inch balls, forming mini-meatballs.
Step 3 –Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Step 4 –Sauté the meatballs until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
Step 5 –Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
Step 6 –Add the onion to the pot and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes.
Step 7 –Add the garlic to the onions and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. You may need to add more olive oil if you are using chicken in your meatballs.
Step 8 –Pour the stock, the water, the remaining salt, the remaining Italian seasoning, the crushed tomatoes, and the meatballs to the onions, bringing the mixture to a boil.
Step 9 –Add the pasta to the mixture and reduce the heat to medium.
Step 10 –Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 11 –Ladle the soup into serving bowls and top with the basil and the parmesan.
Step 12 –Serve!