Meatball Minestrone Soup THM E

Meatball Minestrone Soup

Meatball Minestrone Soup is one of our favorites when fall starts to peek its head around the corner.  This minestrone soup is one of our favorites and has a great flavor. I will often use tomatoes from the garden in September for an even fresher flavor. What? Wait! Meatball Minestrone Soup is a THM E you ask. Yes, but the key is using fat free beef broth and 97% lean ground beef. It’s a hearty soup and will easily serve 6-8 people. It also freezes well.

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Changing Up the Meatball Minestrone Soup

Another reason we love this recipe is because it’s so easy to change up. I often make it as more of a vegetable soup using only the Canadian bacon for a flavoring and no additional meat. You can sub out your beef broth for chicken or vegetable broth. Consider using chicken broth and adding shredded chicken which will keep you in E territory as well. You can add more veggies like cut green beans, cauliflower florets or even cabbage.

Lastly, since this soup is a THM E meal you can up to 1/4 of cooked brown rice or quinoa for a more filling meal. It’s so easy when you are doing the Trim Healthy Mama Plan to feed your family wholesome and delicious food.

Meatball Minestrone Soup Recipe

Here’s the recipe and instructions for the Meatball Minestrone Soup

Soup Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of refined coconut oil
3 slices of Canadian bacon, diced/chopped
1 onion, diced/chopped
2 large carrots diced/chopped
2 ribs of celery, diced/chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of organic dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon organic red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon of THM Himalayan High Mineral Salt (helps sweat veggies)
1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper
1 – 28 ounce can organic plum or crushed tomatoes
4 cups fat-free, beef broth
2 cups water
1 – 11 ounce package of fresh organic baby spinach
1 small zucchini, diced
1 – 15 1/2 ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 – 15 1/2 ounce can kidney beans (no sugar added), rinsed and drained
1/3 cup of fresh flat-leaf parsley or 3 tablespoons of organic dried parsley
2 tablespoons of fresh Basil, chopped or 2 teaspoons of organic dried basil

Meatball Ingredients:

1 pound package of 97% lean ground beef
1/4 cup of ground oatmeal
1/4 cup egg white (carton if okay)
1/8 teaspoon organic garlic powder
2 tablespoons organic minced fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons organic dried parsley

Instructions:

1. Dice or chop the Canadian bacon, set aside. Dice/chop the onion, carrots and celery, set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large kettle or pot (6 quart or larger) over medium high heat, add oil, then add diced/chopped Canadian bacon, saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, carrots, celery, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and ground pepper. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
4. Dice your zucchini, and set aside.
5. While your veggies are softening, place your 97% lean ground beef in a mixing bowl and break up. Add the ground oatmeal, organic garlic powder, chopped parsley and egg white. Mix all the ingredients using either a fork or your hands. Using a tablespoon size portion shape into 24 small meatballs, set aside.
6. Add the minced garlic to the vegetables and allow to saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
7. Gradually pour in the beef broth, scrape and stir to deglaze the pan. Add your tomatoes. (If using plum tomatoes crush with your hands as you add them to the pot.) Add water and bring to a gentle boil.
8. Reduce heat to a simmer; add spinach, diced zucchini, kidney beans, chick peas and meatballs. Let simmer about 20-25 minutes.
9. Gently stir in the parsley and basil. Simmer a couple more minutes until the herbs have released their flavor and serve.

Meatball Minestrone Soup Recipe Tips and Notes:

This recipe is especially easy and quick to create if I do all my veggie chopping before sauteing the diced/chopped Canadian Bacon.

In addition, many of these ingredients can be purchased at Aldi. The crushed tomatoes work very well giving you a richer flavored soup, plus no mashing or squeezing required. You can change up the beans – use black or cannellini beans. You can use Kale in place of the spinach but be sure to cut it up in small pieces, stems into about 1/4 pieces.

If you would like a more vegetable flavored soup eliminate the meatballs and use 6 cups of fat free chicken or vegetable broth, eliminate the water.

Instant Pot Instructions:

These instructions are for the 6 quart, Instant Pot DUO60, 7 in 1. It can also be made in the 8 quart, Instant Pot DUO80, 7 in 1.

1. Dice/chop onion, carrots and celery, place in a bowl and set aside. Mince the garlic, set aside. Dice the zucchini, place in a small bowl, set aside.
2. Set your Instant Pot to saute, adjust saute temp to low. While you are waiting for the instant pot to get hot chop/dice the Canadian bacon. When the Instant Pot says HOT add your refined coconut oil. Push the oil around and then add the chopped Canadian bacon. Saute 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add the carrots, onion, and celery to the Instant Pot along with the Canadian Bacon. Cook about 10 minutes on saute, stir frequently.
4. Prepare your meatballs according to the recipe while the veggies are softening; set aside.
5. Once your veggies have softened and started to turn slightly brown. Add garlic and cook until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn.
6. Add beef stock gradually, stirring a scraping the bottom of the liner to deglaze. Add the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup of water, simmer for about 5 minutes.
7. Add spinach, diced zucchini, chick peas, kidney beans and top with meatballs.
8. Hit [Cancel], lock lid onto the pot, hit [Manual] adjust time [-] button to 4 minutes. NPR for 15 minutes. Then a quick pressure release (QPR).
9. Add remaining cup of water, parsley and basil. Leave pot on warm to heat through the additional water and for the herbs to be absorbed. Serve.

Meatball Minestrone Soup

 

Author: Carey

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 8

• Calories: 336

• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Sodium: 793mg
• Fiber: 9g
• Protein: 23g
• Cholesterol: 44mg

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Ingredients

Soup Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil (refined)
• 3 slices Canadian bacon (diced small)
• 1 whole onion (large, diced small)
• 2 whole carrots (large, diced small)
• 2 whole celery ribs (diced small)
• 1 tablespoon oregano (dried, organic)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (organic)
• ¼ teaspoon THM Himalayan High Mineral Salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (canned)
• 4 cups beef stock (low sodium or homemade broth)
• 2 cups water
• 11 ounces spinach leaf (baby, organic)
• 1 whole zucchini (small, diced small)
• 15½ ounces garbanzo beans, canned (drained and rinsed)
• 15½ ounces kidney beans, canned (drained and rinsed)
• 3 tablespoons parsley (dried, organic)
• 2 teaspoons basil leaf (dried, organic)

Meatball Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, extra lean (96% lean)
• ¼ cup oatmeal (slightly ground)
• ¼ cup egg white
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons parsley (dried, organic)

Instructions

1. Dice or chop the Canadian bacon, set aside. Dice/chop the onion, carrots and celery, set aside. Dice your zucchini, and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large kettle or pot (6 quart or larger) over medium high heat, add oil, then add diced/chopped Canadian bacon, saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, carrots, celery, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and ground pepper. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic to the vegetables and allow to saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
4. While your veggies are softening, place your 97% lean ground beef in a mixing bowl and break up. Add the ground oatmeal, organic garlic powder, chopped parsley and egg white. Mix all the ingredients using either a fork or your hands. Using a tablespoon size portion shape into 24 small meatballs, set aside.
5. Add the minced garlic to the vegetables and allow to saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Gradually pour in the beef broth, scrape and stir to de-glaze the pan.
6. Add your tomatoes. (If using plum tomatoes crush with your hands as you add them to the pot.) Add water and bring to a gentle boil.
7. Reduce heat to a simmer; add spinach, diced zucchini, kidney beans, chick peas and meatballs. Let simmer about 20-25 minutes.
8. Gently stir in the parsley and basil. Simmer a couple more minutes until the herbs have released their flavor and serve.

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