Italian Meatball Soup

Italian Meatball Soup For the meatballs 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 1 egg 1/3 cup parmesan cheese finely grated 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper cooking spray For the soup 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 cup onion finely diced 2 stalks celery sliced 2 carrots peeled and diced 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes do not drain 16 ounce can tomato sauce 6 cups beef broth 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning salt and pepper to taste 3/4 cup dry short pasta such as ditalini 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped parmesan cheese for serving optional Preheat the broiler. For the meatballs: place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Stir with a large spoon or use your hands to combine all the ingredients. You can add a few teaspoons of water if needed to make the process easier. Shape the meat mixture into small balls (1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size). Place on a sheet pan lined with cooking spray. Coat the tops of the meatballs with cooking spray. Broil for 8-10 minutes until meatballs are lightly browned. While the meatballs are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook the vegetables for 4-5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and pasta to the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until pasta and vegetables are tender. Top with parsley. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired.