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Featured Image of Italian Vegetable Stew with Mini Meatballs

Italian Vegetable Stew with Mini Meatballs


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  • Author: White Sparrow
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 4-6 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 small leeks, cleaned + sliced
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 5 carrots, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper, plus more for seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 14 oz. can roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 heaping tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 1/2 quarts chicken bone broth
  • 2 small zucchinis, diced
  • 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese, about 1 cup

For the meatballs

  • 1 lb. ground pork
  • 1 heaping tablespoon tapioca flour (or regular flour, gf flour or arrowroot flour)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 pinch of salt

 


Instructions

  1. In a large heavy stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, onions, carrots, salt and pepper. Sauté until the leeks and onions are softened – about 4-6 minutes.
  2. Add tomato paste and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 minutes.
  3. Add roasted tomatoes, Italian seasoning and broth. Bring to a simmer and turn heat to low. Cook for 8 minutes or until the carrots are softened.
  4. Add zucchini after it simmers for 4 minutes – if using. Add the spinach at the very end when the heat is turned off and mix to combine. This is when you add the meatballs or ground pork Italian sausage – if using.
  5. Serve hot with grated Parmesan cheese and bread.

To make the meatballs

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients together using a fork or your hands. Using a small ice cream scoop – scoop the meatball mixture making mini balls. Place them on a baking sheet. Cook for 6-8 minutes and remove from oven. Let sit until needed.

Notes

**You can also use Italian Sausage and just break it up while cooking it and add when I add the meatballs – at the end. Tastes great too!

**using vegetable stock will chance the flavor profile of the stew – if you are vegetarian you will know this.

  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 2-
  • Category: soup
  • Method: stove-top
  • Cuisine: dinner