I was in such a hurry this week, trying to toss together a quick dinner for Joey and I before we headed back out the door for more commitments.
In the moments before I headed home, I popped into the grocery store, a new recipe on my phone, grabbing quick ingredients before trying to get food on the table.
But being me, I strayed a bit from the ingredient list, adding this and that to my basket and internally planning the spice mixture I would throw into the soup I was going to make.
Even for a quick dinner, I just couldn’t keep myself from playing with the recipe.
The one I tried comes from the blog “Girl Gone Gourmet” by April Anderson. You can find the original post at https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/italian-meatball-soup/. I changed it quite a bit from the original, adding quite a few ingredients to my version.
Italian Meatball Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 24 ounces marinara sauce I used a roasted garlic version
- 26 ounces frozen Italian-style meatballs
- 8 ounces fusilli pasta
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot with a lid, add the broth, diced tomatoes (don’t drain them) and marinara sauce, over high heat.
- Stir to combine the ingredients, and when they come to a boil, stir in the meatballs. Once the mixture comes back to a boil, add the pasta, parsley, oregano, basil, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and stir well.
- Turn the heat to medium and place the lid on the pot, letting it simmer for five minutes.
- Remove the lid and stir, and continue to let the soup cook at a slow boil for six to seven minutes or until the noodles are cooked to your liking.
- If the soup is too thick, add additional broth or water until the soup reaches your desired consistency. When the soup is heated back through, serve topped with parmesan.
This turned out really well. It was thick, hearty and full of great Italian flavor. It was perfect for dinner, but it would have been a great option for lunch with a small cup of soup alongside a grilled cheese sandwich or a big slice of garlic bread, too.
I ended up leaving my soup a bit on the thick side, and as it cooled, it turned into more of a pasta sauce than a soup, so my leftovers will be getting more liquid when I reheat them.
But the main thing is that I managed to quickly get a hot meal on the table that we both enjoyed, even while I kept tossing improvised ingredients into the pot. Sometimes being in a hurry means eating something terrible for dinner, but every once in awhile, it makes for a great meal.
This piece first appeared in print on Feb. 15, 2024.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.
