Bonnies Italian Meatball Soup Recipes

MEATBALL SOUP

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1-in. balls. Brown meatballs in a large saucepan; drain. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, carrot and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes., Add pasta; simmer until meat is no longer pink and pasta is tender, 10 minutes longer. If desired, top with minced fresh parsley and additional grated Parmesan cheese. Freeze Option: Divide cooled soup in 1-1/2 cup portions; freeze up to 3 months.

MAMA'S OLD-FASHIONED ALBONDIGAS (MEATBALL SOUP)

Steps:

• Pour water into a large stockpot over high heat. Stir in 3 cups tomato sauce, yellow onion, chicken bouillon, garlic, and 1 tablespoon dried oregano. Bring broth to a slow boil.
• Combine ground beef, eggs, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, white rice, 1/4 cup cilantro, seasoned salt, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cumin in a large bowl. Squeeze mixture with your hands until thoroughly mixed.
• Scoop 1/4 cup of beef mixture and form in a ball. Lower gently into boiling broth. Repeat with remaining beef mixture.
• Stir potatoes, carrots, and celery into the broth. Cover and simmer until meatballs and potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in zucchini and cabbage. Cover and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and garnish with avocado and 1/4 cup cilantro.

BONNIE'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• 1. Meatballs 101, Cook's Advice: Use a gentle hand when it comes to making meatballs. If you over mix them, they will be tough. For the most tender meatballs, mix the meat with the binder of milk and breadcrumbs and other ingredients just until everything is combined. Use a scoop to measure meatballs the same size. When making balls, don't pack them together too tightly, or they will cook up tough, rubbery, and chewy. Again, use a gentle hand when mixing and forming meatballs.
• 2. Lightly mix the meats, spices, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and cheese together.
• 3. Mix breadcrumbs with the milk. Add beaten eggs to the meat mixture.
• 4. Lightly mix by hand.
• 5. Forming the Meatballs: Using a 1 ½ inch or 2 inch scoop, make meatballs by scooping the mixture into your hand and gently forming a ball without packing the meat mixture.
• 6. Place the meatballs on the prepared pan.
• 7. Cooking the Meatballs: You can brown the meatballs on all sides in a heavy skillet, or you can use this oven method: Take a large sheet pan and line it with foil (reflective side up and they won't stick) and spray the pan with kitchen spray. Bake in a 375 oven about 30 minutes until the thermometer reaches 165 degrees. Do NOT overcook. Remember, some oven temps may vary.
• 8. These meatballs are delicious in soups or sauces. They don't fall apart.

BONNIE'S ITALIAN STEW

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the meatballs:
• Pour the milk over bread and soak to soften.
• Place the meat in a mixing bowl and add the cheese, EVOO, fennel, crushed red pepper, garlic, egg, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and crumble into crumbs as you add it to the meat. Combine the meatball mix and roll into 2-inch balls. Place the meatballs on nonstick baking sheet sprayed with olive oil spray and roast until browned but not fully cooked, 10 to 12 minutes.
• For the stew:
• Meanwhile, heat the EVOO in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions and bay, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the tomato paste and stir until fragrant. Add the beef stock and tomatoes, then break up the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add the basil, potatoes and meatballs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat back to medium, partially cover and cook 10 minutes. Add the green beans and cook 7 to 8 minutes more.
• Serve, or cool completely and store for make-ahead meal. Reheat over a medium-low flame, partially covered, stirring occasionally (or reheat in a 325 degree F oven) until sauce is bubbly.
• To serve, top shallow bowls of stew with cheese and an extra drizzle of EVOO.

BONNIE'S ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Steps:

• MAKE SOUP: IN A 5 QT. KETTLE, ADD OLIVE OIL AND HEAT OIL FOR 2 OR SO SECONDS, THEN ADD THE GARLIC AND THE TOMATO PASTE. LET COOK TO WELL BLENDED. THEN ADD CRUSHED TOMATOES, WHOLE TOMATOES, WHITE WINE, CHICKEN STOCK AND THEN LET IT COME TO A BOIL. ONCE IT COME TO A BOIL YOU THEN ADD ALL THE SEASONINGS. NOW LOWER THE HEAT TO A LOW TO SIMMER, AND LET COOK . MAKE MEATBALLS WHILE SOUP IS SIMMERING. MAKE MEATBALLS: IN A EXTRA LARGE BOWL ADD ALL INGREDIENTS. NOW WITH VERY GOOD WASHED HANDS, MIX THE MIXTURE UNTIL VERY WELL BLENDED. THEN TAKE A LARGE MELON BALLER TO FORM THE MEATBALLS. THAT WILL MAKE SURE THE SAME SIZE OF ALL OF THEM. WET YOUR HANDS WITH WATER AND THAT WILL HELP TO FORM THE MEATBALLS FASTER FOR YOU AND NOT STICK TO YOUR HANDS. ONCE THE MEATBALLS ARE ALL ROLLED OUT YOU THEN DROP THEM ONE BY ONE INTO THE SOUP POT. NOW YOU WILL PUT A COVER ON THE POT, SO AS TO, COOK THE MEATBALLS. COOK FOR ANOTHER 45 MINUTES. ONCE YOU HAVE COOK THE SOUP FOR 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES THE SOUP IS DONE OR WHEN A FORK IN THE CENTER OF THE MEATBALL COMES OUT CLEAN. ENJOY!! MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS OR FOR A CROWD!

HEARTY ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Steps:

• Stir water, tomatoes, beef broth, and Italian seasoning together in a large pot; bring to a boil. Add meatballs, Italian-blend vegetables, and pasta to the pot. Return broth to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the meatballs are heated through and the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

BONNIE'S MEXICAN ALBONDIGAS SOUP (MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• 1. Make the meatballs first. In a large mixing bowl combine the lean ground beef, beaten egg, garlic, bread crumbs, pine nuts, salt and pepper and mix with your hands. I make a long rope of the beef on the cutting board about one inch high and then I cut slices about 1/2 inch wide. Take each slice and roll it into a meatball about one inch in diameter. This technique helps to have more uniform slices. Place all the balls in a bowl in the refrigerator.
• 2. Make the soup and add to a large soup pot, the tomatoes, beef broth, water, potatoes, carrots and onion. Add the chili powder, bay leaf, cilantro, salt. Mix well and bring to a boil and simmer until carrots are tender. You should see an orange ring begin to form around the pan from the chili powder. Add more if you like it hotter.
• 3. Add the meatballs a little at a time to the soup so it doesn't stop boiling, Don't boil on too high heat or it will tear up your meatballs. Simmer meatballs 30 minutes.
• 4. Add sherry before serving and stir gently. Put a dash of tobasco in each bowl before serving. Enjoy!
• 5. Cook's Tip: The original recipe I created was a clone of the restuarant's recipe, and it did NOT have carrots, onions and potatoes in it. It was a true meatball soup. I added those vegetables later to make a more hearty soup.