Healthy Spring Meatball Minestrone Soup

While it may be spring, the evenings are still chilly enough to warrant making a nice pot of warming soup for dinner. This easy and delicious meatball minestrone—filled with mini chicken meatballs, pasta, and fresh vegetables—is perfect for a cool evening.

The kids love to pitch in and help make the meatballs, which is really the hardest part of this easy-to-make recipe; the soup comes together really quickly and easily and is ideal for a weeknight meal. Feel free to vary the vegetables to reflect whatever you happen to have on hand.

Ingredients

Serves 6–8

Meatballs

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 2 cloves garlic, mined
• 4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• black pepper to taste

Soup

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 4 carrots, cut into circles
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup small pasta like orzo or ditalini
• 3 cups shredded fresh spinach or Swiss chard, or baby spinach leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Shredded basil leaves or chopped Italian parsley, to garnish
• Grated parmesan cheese to serve

Directions

1. Combine all meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Knead the mixture briefly with your hands.
2. With your hands, roll out little meatballs about 1/2 inch to an inch in diameter. The kids love to help with this part. Put meatballs on a plate or baking sheet while you roll more.
3. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. You might want to do this in batches. Scoop browned meatballs out and put in a bowl or on a plate and set aside.
4. Add carrots, garlic, and leeks to the pot, with a little more oil if necessary. Cook over medium heat until leeks are soft but not browned, then add broth and water.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender.
6. Add pasta and cook another 10–12 minutes or until pasta is al dente.
7. Add meatballs to soup with spinach or chard. Let cook another 5 minutes until meatballs are heated through and greens are wilted.

Serve in bowls sprinkled with basil or parsley and parmesan cheese. Make sure you have some good crusty Italian bread on hand, too.