“Confidence” recipes are a series of recipes for folks who have a pretty good handle on their skills in the kitchen.
Lily’s Favorite Italian Soup
Confidence
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken (boneless skinless thighs if you are grinding the meat yourself)
- ½ tsp finely crushed garlic
- ½ C breadcrumbs
- ¼ C shredded parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- Fresh cracked pepper
Soup
- 1 TBSP butter
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 large carrot finely diced
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 8 C chicken stock See Chicken Stock recipe
- 1 C diced cooked chicken See Roast Chicken recipe
- 1 can great northern beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes (not drained)
- 1 small can no salt added tomato sauce
- ½ pound ditalini pasta cooked to package directions and cooled
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- Fresh cracked pepper
- Fresh parmesan to serve optional
Instructions
To start, make the meatballs:
- Mix all ingredients for meatballs together and make meatballs in either ¼ to ½ inch rounds.
- I prefer smaller meatballs but feel free to find a good size for yourself.
While you form the meatballs, make the ditalini:
- Prepare the ditalini pasta according to the package directions, to al dente doneness.
- Once done cooking, strain and cool thoroughly.
Once the meatballs are prepared, or while someone else is making the meatballs:
- In a 5 quart stock pot, add the butter and melt until bubbly.
- Cook the onions, then add celery.
- Once the celery is bright green, add the carrots and cook for 4 minutes
- Add the garlic to the pot.
- Now add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Once the veggies and stock are boiling:
- Turn the heat on the stove down to medium-high.
- Add the chicken, canned ingredients, and meatballs.
- Allow to simmer for 25 minutes.
- Adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
- Add the cooled ditalini pasta to the pot and allow to cook for 5 more minutes.
Notes
Serving suggestions:
Serve the same day with freshly shredded parmesan cheese.
Refrigerate leftovers immediately.
Serve the same day with freshly shredded parmesan cheese.
Refrigerate leftovers immediately.
Need more help? See my “Need A Hand” version of this recipe.