Tomato and Meatball Soup with Shells

Tonight I cooked yet another meal from the pantry and frig. I will go to the store tomorrow. I used two soup recipes for inspiration. One to prepare the meatballs and one to develop the soup base. It is very good. The meatballs are nice and soft. The tomato soup has a nice sweetness from the carrots and onions. It tastes more like a marinara than tomato soup. My sister dined with me and she loved it. The only thing missing was the parmesan cheese, did I mention it is time to go to the store. I will definitely make this recipe again.

Tomato and Meatball Soup with Shells

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1 lb lean ground beef (97%)

2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup vegetable broth

Soup:

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup carrots, shredded

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3-3/4 cups vegetable broth

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/8 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes

1 cup shell pasta

Parsley and Parmesan for garnish (optional)

Directions:

For the Meatballs: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Gently mix until combined. Do not over work the meat or the meatballs will be tough. Shape 2 tsp of meat mixture into a meatball, repeat until all of the mixture is used. Place on a plate cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

For the Soup: Heat oil in a large soup pot, add vegetables, and saute until soft. Add in vegetable broth, tomatoes, season with salt & pepper, Italian seasoning and red chili pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender. Return to simmer, add in meatballs and shells. Simmer until pasta is cooked about 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley or parmesan cheese, if desired.

Nutrition Facts per Serving:  Calories 200.6; Total Fat 6.8 g; Saturated Fat 2.2 g; Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g; Monounsaturated Fat 1.1 g; Cholesterol 43.3 mg; Sodium 974.5 mg; Potassium 222.8 mg; Total Carbohydrate 18.0 g; Dietary Fiber 2.8 g; Sugars 3.9 g; Protein 18.4 g.

Linking to:
Carole's Chatter Food on Friday's Pasta and Noodle