I love soups of all kinds throughout the year. I live in an area that is warm much of the year. We certainly do not have four seasons. But Louisiana is known for gumbos and great soups.

Chicken and spaghetti are a favorite of mine. My paternal grandmother made the best. We all tried to replicate it but could not. She had a tiny little house with a tiny little kitchen. Her name was Anna and she wore her hair in braids across her head. I remember standing by her watching her fry chicken pieces in a large black skillet in lots of hot grease. I saw an onion, a can of tomato paste, and some cooked spaghetti. Somehow, all that was added to that grease. My arteries gurgle at the thought but it sure was good. One day I am going to try again and I will let you know how it turns out. I always get sidetracked thinking about my family’s cooking when I am giving a recipe. Pardon my reminiscence.

The soup I have made for this recipe is a meatball soup in a tomato base. Pasta is added and of course, I love the bowtie pasta by Barilla. I made the meatballs and the soup in one day. If you are pressed for time, make your meatballs a day ahead. Another alternative is buying some good meatballs. I am all for shortcuts when the occasion arises.

The soup can be made quickly in less than an hour. And remember that this is soup, not rocket science. If you do not have some of the seasonings, that’s why you can use Italian canned tomatoes. It has most of the seasonings in it.

I prefer soup with a little thickness to it. That’s why I add the cornstarch mixture at the end but it is all in preference. So when you make this, you will have a large pot of soup so be prepared to freeze or share.

Yield: Large pot of Soup

BEST HEARTY MEATBALL SOUP

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Flavorful, beefy soup with meatballs and pasta.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

• 1 /2 cup chopped (fine) onions, celery and bellpepper
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground lean beef
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

SOUP

• 1/2 cup chopped onions, celery and bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 carrots, peeled and chopped finely
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 8 cups beef broth
• 2 16 oz. can tomato sauce with Basil, Garlic and Oregano
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Cooked Meatballs
• 1 16 oz. box bowtie pasta

Instructions

MEATBALLS

Cover two large cookie sheets with foil or parchment paper and spray lightly with a nonstick spray.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Saute the onions, bell pepper, and celery in olive oil. Set aside to cool.
In a very large bowl, combine your ground pork and ground meat.

Add the eggs, bread crumbs, milk, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and Parmesan cheese to the meat mixture. Mix well with your hands. Add the onion mixture and continue until it is thoroughly combined.

Cover with wrap and place in refrigerator for about an hour.

Remove and use a medium ice cream scoop to form balls and place on cookie sheet. If you prefer, you can just use a tablespoon and form the ball in your hand. Bake 20-25 minutes. About halfway through the baking process, use a spatula to turn them over (or roll them around to help cook more evenly.)

Set the meatballs aside to cool.

SOUP

In a large pot, saute your seasoning, onions, bell pepper, and celery. I had a bag of shredded carrots and added that to the seasoning but you can hope some carrots to add. Saute this stirring frequently for about 10 minutes.

Add the beef broth and seasonings and continue to cook on medium-high.

Add the tomato sauce and rinse both cans with water and add to pot. ( This will add another 2 cups to the pots. When soup begins to simmer, add the meatballs and cook for about 10-15 minutes.

Add the pasta and continue to cook until pasta is done (about 15 minutes. )

At the very end, I add 1/2 cup water and about 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch. This will give a little thickening to your soup. Mix it well and pour in, stirring well and letting it simmer a few more minutes.

Notes

You can make your own meatballs or use your favorite frozen brand. If you make your own, I'd suggest you do it a day ahead to save time.

Remember, this is soup. Measurements do not have to be precise but to your liking. If you only have half a box of pasta, just use that.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

10

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 517Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 1902mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 36g

Nutrition information can vary for a recipe based on factors such as precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, or the source of nutrition data.

“What one loves in childhood stays in their heart forever.”

-Hary Jo Putney