Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Our weather is so weird lately. Sorry I’m talking about the weather. As an introvert, I hate talking about the weather but really, it’s been weird lately! One day it’s warm and the next day it’s cold. Just when I build up the motivation to start shaving my legs again (I know, gross) in order to expose my pale legs, the weather is like HEY GIRL, you thought it was warm? GUESS AGAIN.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

So, I’m having soup. Like… a lot of it.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Chicken meatballs made with a little bit of pesto, parm & panko are in a soup filled with carrots, leeks, spinach and alphabet pasta! Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs! That’s what’s up.

Let’s gather our ingredients.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Chicken meatballs first.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Hello, pesto.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Things are chopped.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Balls. Yeah. I said it.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Let’s cook them. Get a little brown on them.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Mostly cooked. We’re going to finish them off in the soup.

 

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Leeks then garlic to be sautéed.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Followed by broth and water.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Carrots and pasta go in.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Eventually the meatballs get added.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

SPINACH!

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

Finished with fresh chopped basil, a little bit of red pepper flakes, and Parmesan.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

I tried to spell out the word COMFORT in the alphabets and then after like 20 minutes of it I gave up after my M sunk and I couldn’t find my T.  Not in my comfort zone. I was hungry.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

A bowl for me.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs is a perfect soup for those chilly Spring days. Find the recipe on Shutterbean.com!

A bowl for you and some leftover for lunch tomorrow. Yes.

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs

serves 4

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

  • 8 oz. ground chicken
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 4 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • 5 garlic cloves, 3 minced, 2 thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh pesto
  • 1 large egg
  • kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 leek, white and pale green parts only, sliced into 1/4″ rounds
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup alphabet pasta (or other small pasta)
  • 1 cup 1/2″ rounds peeled carrots
  • 2 cups (packed) baby spinach
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • chopped fresh basil, for serving

Mix chicken, breadcrumbs, Parmesan 3 minced garlic cloves, pesto, egg, 2/4 teaspoon salt & 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Form into 1/2″ diameter meatballs (makes about 28).

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook meatballs until golden all over, about 3 minutes (they will finish cooking in the soup). Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add leek to pot and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves; cook for 1 minute. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and carrots; simmer until pasta is almost al dente, about 8 minutes. Add meatballs; simmer until pasta is al dente, carrots are tender and meatballs are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add spinach cool until spinach has wilted. Season with red pepper flakes, salt & pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped basil and Parmesan.

 

  • Jenna

    Yum, looks amazing! I think my toddler would love it too – I haven’t tried her on soup much yet, but as we’re heading into winter here in Sydney, this looks like the perfect one to start her on!

  • Anna

    Looks delicious, I’ll be trying this as winter is setting in here in Australia.
    From am introvert who likes talking about the weather – it may be boring but it’s a no pain topic of conversation!

    • Tracy

      As an introvert, it’s the small talk that kills me. If we were having a real discussion about weather, I would be cool- BUT it’s used as a conversation piece and I’m like… I am sure we can talk about something other then what the temperature is right now.

  • Amanda

    Can’t wait to try this!

  • Jane M

    Just what the doctor ordered here in cold NJ! I turned OFF my heat for a week only to turn it back on becuase it was less than 60 degrees INSIDE! HAHA! I too don’t like talking about the weather either because in my old age I’m happy to be inside these days too!

  • Monica B.

    I don’t eat meat, but THIS! would entice me to try every bit of this soup – looks so delicious! I would love to try this. Is that why it irks me talking about the weather, because I too am an introvert? Who knew. And shaving the my legs….hmmmm…..lol…I love “checking in” on your page! Happy Wednesday.

  • Susan

    This looks like dinner tonight! What kind of chicken broth do you use? That color looks so rich and delicious!

  • Gaby Dalkin

    If you can believe it, the weather in LA has been up and down too! Chilly and overcast today means I am officially craving this soup.

  • Bonnie

    Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it. Beautiful photos too!

  • Kelly

    Yum! I can’t wait to make this. It looks amazing!

  • Kari

    My allergies have been kicking up lately with whatever has just started blooming. Soup sounds so magical to me!
    Kari
    http://www.sweetteasweetie.com

  • Caitlin

    Our weather here on the east coast has been just straight up cold and rainy NONSTOP for literally the last week and it’s been killing me. Soup like this is exactly what I need 🙂

    Thank you for sharing!

  • Beth

    I love reading your blog and have enjoyed at least the dozen or so recipes I’ve made from it. A quick question because I’ll be making this tonight for sure- in the pictures and post it looks like you add 1 tablespoon of pesto into the meatballs, but I can’t find that in the written recipe. Is it just 4am and I’m up nursing the baby and going crazy? Or did the pesto slip through the cracks?

    Can’t wait for dinner tonight!

    • Kat

      You aren’t crazy….I made this last night and tripped up on that too! I added the pesto to the meatball mixture per the photo. Turned out fabulous! 🙂

      • Tracy

        Nope. I’m the crazy one. Forgot to type pesto in there. Thanks for catching that and I’m glad that at least I got it right in the photos. Thanks!

        • Beth

          Doubled the recipe, my family loved it. Another hit! Thank you for the recipes and the visual inspiration. I always look forward to reading your blog

  • Sarah

    I can feel a cold coming on (caught it from my husband, blegh) and this soup looks amazing. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks ,Tracy! Your photography is amazing by the way.

  • Jen

    Looks delicious, and it’s the perfect time for soup! All of this weather weirdness has given both me and my toddler a cold.

  • Kat

    So just a hint on this soup…don’t make it with purple carrots 🙂 It tastes great, but my broth is an odd shade of lavender! Slightly disconcerting, but tasty none the less.

  • Keto dinners

    I love love love the overhead shots of all ingredients! Really cool

  • Beth

    This is delicious & toddler approved! Thank you!

    • Beth

      And also, I used ground turkey instead of chicken and it was perfect! I think either are good options.

  • Jean

    Been on a meatball kick lately. These meatballs were so good that I made a batch with a little tomato sauce for meatball Parmesan subs. Just found my new favorite chicken meatball recipe! Thanks, Tacy! Checkout the turkey meatball with spinach and raisin recipe from The Clever Cookbook if you haven’t already…so good.

    • Tracy

      Oh gosh. I want to be on a meatball kick!

    • Sonja

      I just wanted to completely agree with Jean: these are my favorite chicken meatballs! Actually, these might be my favorite meatballs full stop. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

      Oh and the soup is pretty amazing as well! 😉

  • Ashleigh

    I made this for my lunches this week and the meatballs are probably one of the greatest things I’ve ever put in my mouth. I don’t know how I never thought to put pesto IN the meatballs! You’re a genius. GENIUS!

  • Joan

    RIDICULOUSLY GOOD. And there’s one serving leftover for meeeeeeeee. I made the soffritto from the original recipe and then kicked back over to this recipe. The meatballs are the game changer for this soup. Make them. I’m bossy when it comes to meatballs. Meatballs make me bossy. I used a mix of kale, chard and spinach which wasn’t my family’s favorite – “so many cooked greens” – but their bowls were empty in the end. That’s the highest praise, honestly, from this picky crew.

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  • Suzanne

    This looks so good! It would be so nice to have the chicken meatballs ready frozen and then just whip up the soup and serve on a weeknight!

  • Vanessa

    Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?

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