Meatball and Veggie Soup

Tips & Tricks:

• 🔪 Skip steps with knife if you completed the Prep Ideas!
• 🔪 This entire soup can be made up to 5 days ahead. Or frozen for up to 3 months.
• 🍲 This soup works great with anything you have in your refrigerator or cabinets so get creative. Add more of your favorite ingredients, ax any of these vegetables you don’t like, or use what you already have!
• 🌶 Same goes for spices in the meatballs and the soup. Use what you have and only buy what you will use again.

Ingredients:

Meatballs

• 1 lb. ground beef, or other ground meat you prefer such as turkey, chicken, or pork
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

For the soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 sweet or yellow onion
• 4-8 garlic cloves or 1/2 - 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 can of garbanzo beans (or 2 russet potatoes)
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 teaspoon died oregano or parsley
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup frozen green beans
• 1 cup canned corn
• 1 lemon, juiced
• salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Garnish

• fresh parsley, chopped
• Grated parmesan or other cheese

Directions:

1. 🔪 Veg Prep - can be done up to 3 days ahead.
1. Dice the onion
2. Mince garlic if using fresh cloves.
3. Peel and cut carrots into half moons.
4. Slice celery into half moons.
5. Drain and rinse garbanzo beans (if using).
6. Drain and rinse corn.
7. Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes (if using). Only do this step if you’re cooking the soup right away.
8. Cut frozen green beans into 1 inch pieces if needed.
2. 🔪 Prep Meatballs - this can be done earlier in the day you plan to make the soup.
1. Mix all the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Using wet hands, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs by rolling it between your hands until it forms a ball. Place on a sheet pan or large plate (it's ok if they touch).
3. Cover with plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to add to the soup.
3. 🔪 Soup Time
1. In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add onions and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add chopped carrots, celery, and potatoes (if using) and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until they start to soften.
4. Add garlic and let heat for 1 minute.
5. Pour in the chicken broth and can of tomatoes + juices. Stir in oregano and cumin.
6. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
7. Add the garbanzo beans (if using) and (carefully) meatballs to the simmering soup. Stir very gently, to avoid breaking apart the meatballs.
8. Bring back to a simmer, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat for another 10 minutes.
9. Stir in green beans and corn and let simmer for a final 5-10 minutes.
4. Serve
1. Stir in the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Optionally garnish with chopped parsley and/or cheese and serve in a bowl.

Reheat Options

1. Place desired amount of soup in a medium pot over medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
2. Or place desired amount of soup in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 3 minutes, stirring halfway through.