Name: Meatball + Pasta Broth Soup with Pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: soup
Ingredients: 1 lb. Italian pork sausage; 1/4 cup gluten free Italian seasoned or plain panko bread crumbs; salt and pepper, to taste; 2 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk); 2 heaping tablespoons dried Italian herbs (if your bread crumbs are plain); 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish; 1/3 cup basil pesto (recipe below); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 yellow onion, small diced; 2 celery stalks, small diced; 2 medium carrots, small diced; 2-3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 heaping tablespoons tomato paste; 1 1/2 quarts chicken bone broth; 1 handful fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup), chopped; 6 oz. cooked gluten free pasta (any shape you like, I had penne on hand); red pepper flakes, optional; 2 handfuls fresh basil leaves; 1-2 garlic cloves; 1/2 cup olive oil (or more to thin it out); 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (leave out if you are going to freeze the pesto); optional – 2 pinches fresh lemon zest

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb. Italian pork sausage
1/4 cup gluten free Italian seasoned or plain panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened coconut milk)
2 heaping tablespoons dried Italian herbs (if your bread crumbs are plain)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup basil pesto (recipe below)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, small diced
2 celery stalks, small diced
2 medium carrots, small diced
2–3 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 quarts chicken bone broth
1 handful fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup), chopped
6 oz. cooked gluten free pasta (any shape you like, I had penne on hand)
red pepper flakes, optional

Classic + Basic Basil Pesto

recipe from My Kids Spring Zucchini + Pea Pesto Pasta

2 handfuls fresh basil leaves
1–2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil (or more to thin it out)
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (leave out if you are going to freeze the pesto)
optional – 2 pinches fresh lemon zest

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400F.
To make the meatballs, combine the pork sausage, bread crumbs, 1 large pinch of salt and pepper, milk, 1 tablespoon Italian herbs (if needed), Parmesan cheese and 1 heaping tablespoon of pesto in a mixing bowl. Mix with a rubber spatula, wooden spoon or hands. Scoop the meatballs out to a baking sheet tray in about tablespoon sized portions. Continue until all the meat is formed into meatballs.
Bake the meatballs for 8-10 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove from the oven, while you make the soup.
In a Dutch oven, sauté the olive oil, onion, celery and carrots together over medium heat until the onions are softened. Add in the minced garlic, 1 heaping tablespoon of Italian herbs and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the chicken bone broth and bring up to a heavy simmer or light boil for 3 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cook until the carrots are softened – about 4 minutes. Add in the remaining pesto and parsley.
To serve, ladle the broth into serving bowls and portion out the meatballs and some pasta into each bowl. Top with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Notes

Meatballs form best by scooping out with a small cookie scoop, rolling in between your hands – sometimes you may need to put olive oil on your hands – this will help form them and make them stay together better.

Prep Time: 5
Cook Time: 20
Category: soup
Method: stove top
Cuisine: soup