Meatball Minestrone Soup

1. 1

   For the meatballs (you will only use half of the meatballs):

2. 2

   Put sausage into a food processor and pulse a few times to chop it up. Add egg, bread crumbs, and parsley. Pulse until everything is mixed.

3. 3

   Form into small balls (it should yield about 35 meatballs). Add a little olive oil to heavy-bottomed soup pot and brown meatballs. Once meatballs are browned, take them out of the soup pot and put them on a plate. (They'll finish cooking in the soup.)

4. 4

   For the soup:

5. 5

   Add a little more olive oil to the pot and cook carrots, onion, and garlic for about 5-7 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add tomatoes, thyme, basil, and oregano, and cook for 15 minutes, using a spatula to stir and break up tomatoes.

6. 6

   Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add half the meatballs and the orzo. (Freeze the rest of the meatballs for next time.) Cook for 10-11 minutes, until orzo is ready.

7. 7

   In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add baby kale, baby spinach, and white beans.

8. 8

   Note: If the tomatoes leave the soup tasting too acidic, add 1-2 teaspoons of sugar to balance it out.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.