Name: Spinach and White Bean Meatball Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 onion, diced; 3 carrots, peeled and diced; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 4 cups chicken stock; 2 bay leaves; 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta; 2 cups baby spinach; 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; Juice of 1 lemon; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 pound ground chicken; 1/3 cup Panko; 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

My favorite cozy weeknight soup! Made so hearty with white beans, spinach, and the most tender chicken meatballs!

Spinach and White Bean Meatball Soup - My favorite cozy weeknight soup! Made so hearty with white beans, spinach, and the most tender chicken meatballs!

Happy post-Christmas day!

I hope you all had the most amazing Christmas yesterday. I ate about 17 donuts, opened all of my presents, and then finished off my night with some warm monkey bread.

Oh, and among my presents were freshly baked chocolate chip cookies from Grandma, which I had right before bed, in bed actually, with a tall glass of milk. And I’m not sorry about it at all!

Now we have a few more days here in Indianapolis but all I can think about is curling up in my own bed at home with a giant bowl of this soup (with a hidden stash of Grandma’s cookies for dessert, of course), sopping up all this goodness with perfectly toasted crostini bites.

I mean, really, there’s just so much treasure in this soup, from the hearty white beans to the baby spinach to the most tender chicken meatballs. Not to mention, the freshly grated Parmesan on top for that finishing touch!

Spinach and White Bean Meatball Soup - My favorite cozy weeknight soup! Made so hearty with white beans, spinach, and the most tender chicken meatballs!

Spinach and White Bean Meatball Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

My favorite cozy weeknight soup! Made so hearty with white beans, spinach, and the most tender chicken meatballs!

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
4 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
2 cups baby spinach
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the chicken meatballs

1 pound ground chicken
1/3 cup Panko
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Panko, Parmesan, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic powder and red pepper flakes, if using; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 3/4-to-1-inch meatballs, forming about 25-30 meatballs.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add meatballs, in batches, and cook until all sides are browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Add garlic, onion and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme and basil until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaves and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and meatballs; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender and meatballs are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
Stir in spinach and cannellini beans until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately.