This is a dish I make often throughout winter for good reason! I love this soup as it is high protein, full of a variety of plants (hello gut health!) , super delicious and versatile! Use whatever veg you have on hand, swap out chicken mince for beef if you like – whatever takes your fancy, enjoy!
Chicken Meatball Minestrone – serves 4
- 500g chicken mince
- 1/2 a red onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp Italian spice mix or dried oregano
- small handful chopped parsley or basil leaves
- 1-2 tsp harissa paste *optional but highly recommend!
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup gluten free breadcrumbs (or any you like!)
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 medium brown onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 a zucchini diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1-2 stalks of celery diced
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 tins diced tomatoes
- 1-2 tbsp tomato paste
- 500ml chicken broth or stock
- 1 small tin of butter beans rinsed *or any tinned beans you have on hand
- 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
- 1 tsp salt and big pinch of pepper
- 2 serves dried pasta of choice *I used a lentil pasta
- big handful of baby spinach or other leafy greens roughly chopped
- Parmesan cheese and basil pesto to serve
- In a bowl mix together all of the meatball ingredients with your hands until everything is distributed throughout the mince. Roll into 16 balls and set aside in the fridge
- Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and saute the onions, celery, carrot and garlic for a few minutes until softened
- Add in all of the other soup ingredients and apart from the pasta and bring up to a simmer. Cook covered for 10 minutes.
- get out a non stick frying pan and heat some olive oil over a medium high heat. Cook the meatballs to just brown on each side.
- While the meatballs brown add the pasta to the soup. Once the meatballs are golden on each side (they wont be cooked through) Add them to the soup, cover and cook for a further 5-10 minutes or until cooked through.
- Stir through the baby spinach at the very end then serve with a dollop of pesto and some Parmesan cheese!
