Spaghetti and Meatball Soup

What could be more comforting on a cool night than a plate of spaghetti and meatballs? How about a bowl of Spaghetti and Meatball Soup? This is a great recipe that I found on Skinny Taste. You make it all in one pot, which is a bonus.

The changes I made: I added basil and oregano to the soup, and instead of the small amount of tomato sauce, I used a can of crushed tomatoes. I also added green bell pepper to the soup, and green bell pepper plus grated carrot to the meatballs. You knew I’d be sneaking extra veggies in there, right? ;-)

The only negative thing I can say about this recipe is that the meatballs are better cooked in the oven and added later. The first time I made it, I did cook them in the soup as directed, and you can go ahead and do that, but they didn’t hold together as well as when they were baked and added at the end. It doesn’t add to the work; I mean, you have to cook them anyhow, whether you do it in the soup or in the oven, right?

So, let’s get cooking!

First, dice the pepper and onions. Mince the garlic and peel and grate the carrot. The carrot will be used in the meatball mixture.

Sauté half of the diced peppers and onions and the minced garlic in the oil in a large pot, until tender.

Add the chicken broth, water, crushed tomatoes, and spices. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for twenty minutes.

While that’s cooking, make the meatballs. In a bowl, mix together the ground turkey, the other half of the diced peppers and onions, grated carrot, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and eggs. I find that using my hands to mix it is the best way. This is also a fun step for kids to do and have them involved in the cooking.

Form the meatballs by using a small scoop to make little one inch balls. This is also a fun way for the kids to help. I portion out the meatball mixture, and then have one of the kids roll them with their hands.

If you’re going to cook them in the soup, just set them aside, but if you’re doing them in the oven, which I do recommend, put them on a sheet pan and toss them in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes or so.

If you’re cooking the meatballs in the soup, add them now, and cook for about 5 minutes, then add the broken spaghetti. I broke it into thirds.

If you’re doing the meatballs in the oven, add the broken spaghetti (in which case I still broke it into thirds, hahaha!) to the soup, cooking for about 7-8 minutes, and then add the cooked meatballs.




Ladle into the bowls and watch the smiles. Enjoy! ~TMMF


Spaghetti and Meatball Soup

1 green bell pepper
1 Vidalia onion
3 cloves garlic
1 carrot
5 c chicken broth
2 c water
1 1.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 Tbl dried parsley
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 tap black pepper
1 lb ground turkey
3/4 c breadcrumbs
1/4 c parmesan cheese
2 eggs