Parmesan Meatball Soup

Thank goodness, Kittencal posted her Parmesan Meatball recipe. It's outstanding!!With her permission,I've adopted her recipe to use in a variety of ways-here's another. Soup with your fav crusty bread for dipping! Can be made in the crock pot for easy prep.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 batch Parmesan Meatballs by Kittencal

• 8  ounces lean ground beef
• 8  ounces ground pork
• 1  large egg
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese (grated) or 1⁄4 cup romano cheese (grated)
• 1⁄2 cup  fresh breadcrumb
• 1  tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon seasoning salt
•  black pepper
• 1⁄4 cup half-and-half
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped or 1  tablespoon dried parsley

• Soup

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1  cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2 (10 3/4ounce) cans low sodium beef broth
• 2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 -3  tablespoons sugar
• 1 1⁄2 cups fresh spinach, chopped (optional)
• 1 1⁄2 cups long grain rice
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon  italian seasoning
• 4  tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
•  shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Meatballs:
2. Mix all meatball ingredients together.
3. Form into marble-sized meatballs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Soup:
5. In a extra large saucepan or stock pot over medium heat, heat olive oil.
6. Add onion and sauté until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
7. Increase heat to HIGH and add diced tomatoes, broth, Parsley, and seasonings; and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to LOW and simmer for 15 minutes.
9. Remove meatballs from refrigerator; gently slip each into soup mixture and simmer over MED-LOW heat until meatballs are cooked through, about 25 minutes.
10. Increase temp to MED-HIGH; add rice; cook for about 15 minutes; then add spinach and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.
11. Remove from heat.
12. Check and adjust seasonings.
13. To serve:
14. Ladle into warmed bowls and garnish with Parsley sprigs and a sprinkle of shredded Mozzarella Cheese.