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Chicken Meatball Soup with Pasta and Vegetables
Small chicken meatballs bring Parmesan, garlic and herbs to a brothy bowl of ditalini and vegetables. Tomatoes add brightness; baby spinach goes in at the end to keep its color.
- Prep
- 25 minutes
- Cook
- 45 minutes
- Total
- 1 hour 10 minutes
- Serves
- 6 servings
Give the vegetables a head start
Finely dice the carrots and celery so they cook evenly. Soften them with the onion before adding the broth, then simmer until nearly tender before the pasta joins the pot.
Brown gently, then simmer
The first sear gives the delicate meatballs some color. Finish them in the soup and check their centers with a thermometer: ground chicken needs to reach 165°F (74°C). Add pasta later so it keeps its shape.
Make tomorrow’s bowl just as good
The ditalini continues soaking up broth after cooking. Loosen leftover soup with a little broth as it reheats. For a batch intended mostly for leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls.
Adapted from Pam at For the Love of Cooking, with clarified vegetable and temperature instructions.
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The full recipe
Chicken Meatball Soup with Pasta and Vegetables
Little Parmesan and herb chicken meatballs, ditalini, and tender vegetables fill a tomato and chicken broth finished with baby spinach.
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 1 lb Ground chicken
1 Egg- 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Parsley fresh, chopped
- ½ tsp Dried Basil dried
- ¼ tsp Oregano dried
- Sea salt to taste
- Ground Black Pepper freshly cracked, to taste
- ¼ cup Italian seasoned panko crumbs
- 1 tbsp Canola oil
SOUP
- 1 tbsp Canola oil
- ½ Onion - sweet yellow finely diced
- 3 Carrots cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 3 Celery stalks cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 14.5–15 oz can diced tomatoes with juices
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Sea salt to taste
- Ground Black Pepper freshly cracked, to taste
- ½ cup Ditalini pasta dry
- 2 cups Spinach fresh, baby
- Parmesan cheese or feta cheese as topping, optional
Instructions
- Gently combine the chicken, egg, 3 tablespoons Parmesan, 2 minced garlic cloves, parsley, basil, oregano, panko, and a little salt and pepper. With damp hands, form approximately 1-inch meatballs. Refrigerate for 10 minutes while preparing the vegetables. Do not taste the raw mixture.
- Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for about 4–5 minutes per batch, turning gently. Transfer to a plate reserved for the partially cooked meatballs; they must finish cooking in the soup.
- Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the pot. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until starting to soften. Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes with their juices and broth, scraping up browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 15–20 minutes, until the carrots are nearly tender.
- Return the meatballs and any juices to the simmering soup. Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the ditalini. Simmer gently for the pasta package time, usually 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check several meatballs in their centers with an instant-read thermometer; ground chicken must reach 165°F (74°C). Continue simmering as needed until the meatballs are safely cooked and the pasta and vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes, until wilted. Taste the fully cooked soup and adjust salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and add Parmesan or feta if desired.
Notes
Use a 6-quart soup pot or Dutch oven. Yield is approximately 6 generous servings and will vary with vegetable size. Pasta absorbs broth as it sits; add a splash of broth when reheating. Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3 days; reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C).
Adapted from Pam at For the Love of Cooking, with a clarified vegetable step and temperature guidance.
