Add meatballs to a chunky vegetable soup and you get Hearty Meatball & Vegetable Soup. It's a soup for chilly days and nights. It's homemade but comes together quicker than expected (thanks to frozen meatballs).
It's even better the next day.
Canned soup can't compete.
Hearty Meatball & Vegetable Soup
Text and Photo by Jac Kyles Baker
Makes 1 to 2 servings
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chicken, beef or vegetable broth*
1 small waxy potato, peeled and diced
1/3 cup frozen green beans, thawed or defrosted
1 handful of fresh, torn spinach
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp vegetable or olive oil
6 frozen meatballs, cooked according to package directions
1 1/2 cup chicken, beef or vegetable broth
2 TB prepared tomato basil pasta sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Place diced potatoes, carrots and onions in a large microwave safe bowl and cover. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully remove bowl. Mindful of the steam, carefully remove the lid.
Add green beans to vegetables. Coat vegetables with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Microwave, covered, on for 2 minutes. Carefully remove bowl. Using a fork, test vegetables for tenderness.
In the same bowl, layer spinach over vegetables. Cover bowl and microwave for 1 minute, or until spinach wilts.
Carefully remove bowl from microwave. Add broth, pasta sauce and meatballs to vegetables. Stir and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute or until soup is heated through.
Carefully remove bowl from microwave and serve.
Cook's Notes
*Increase the amount of broth if you prefer a thinner soup or want more servings.