Ron's Meatball Minestrone

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1/4 cup progresso italian-style fine bread crumbs
• 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 eggs (slightly beaten)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion (chopped coarsely)
• 58 ounces canned beef broth or 58 ounces homemade beef broth
• 16 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon tsps italian seasoning
• 16 ounces red kidney beans
• 1 cup sliced carrot
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup medium pasta shell (or other soup pasta)

Recipe

• 1 in a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped parsley, ground beef, bread crumbs, basil, egg, garlic, salt and pepper, do not overmix.
• 2 shape into 1-inch balls, and either brown in olive oil for 15 minutes, or bake on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes.
• 3 set the meatballs aside.
• 4 in meatball drippings, or olive oil, saute onions, celery, carrots and zucchini for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• 5 add broth, tomatoes, and italian seasoning; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• 6 stir in pasta and cover and simmer until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
• 7 add the meatballs to the simmering broth and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
• 8 (you may add a box of frozen chopped spinach with the meatballs, if you desire.).