Community Corner

Queens Eats: Meatball Tortellini Soup

This hearty soup will warm you up on a cold winter's day.

This article was written by Erin Walsh.

Blame it on the bitterly cold weather or merely the allure of seasoned orbs of beef, but this week I’ve been craving meatballs.

On Monday, I made spaghetti and frozen meatballs from Trader Joe’s. Easy and delicious, in case you’re in the mood for this simple, yet succulent, dish.

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Tuesday, I rose to the challenge of preparing a more elaborate Queens Eats recipe and made Meatball-Tortellini soup with homemade mini meatballs, thank you very much, from the January/February edition of the Food Network magazine.

This warm, hearty, cheesy, meaty and salty soup does not disappoint. I consider myself a bit of a soup aficionado and this was one of the best soups that I’ve ever tasted. Make this to tempt your palate and warm your tummy on a cold winter’s day.

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Meatball-Tortellini Soup (Source: Food Network Magazine)

Ingredients

8 ounces ground beef chuck
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 clove garlic, grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1 9 -ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach (about 3 ounces)

Directions

Combine the beef, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons parsley, the egg, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Mix with your hands until just combined. Form into 1-inch meatballs and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a plate. Add the carrots and celery to the pot and then cook, stirring, until just softened, about 5 minutes. 

Add the broth and 3 cups water, bring to a boil. Return the meatballs to the pot along with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer until the meatballs are just cooked through, about 2 minutes.

Add the tortellini and cook until they float to the top, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Top with more Parmesan.


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