Meatball Soup — The Pot That Keeps the Blizzard Out

Blizzard warning Monday night. The kind that makes the local news anchors say stay home if you can, which in trucking means nothing because you cannot stay home, because the frozen beef does not care about the weather advisory and the JBS plant does not close for snow and the distribution center in Omaha expects its freight on time regardless of what the sky is doing. But this time I stayed home. Not because of the blizzard — because of the kids. The schools closed Tuesday and the roads closed Wednesday and for three days it was the six of us in the house with the wind screaming outside and the furnace clicking inside and nowhere to go.

I made soup. Of course I made soup. When the world closes down and the wind is trying to remove the roof, you make soup. I made a pot of ham and bean soup — dried navy beans soaked overnight, a leftover ham bone from the freezer, onion, celery, a bay leaf, salt. It simmered on the stove for six hours and the kitchen was warm and the windows were white with frost and the soup was the only thing that made sense.

The kids managed the blizzard the way kids manage forced confinement: badly. Tyler and Justin played video games until I confiscated the controllers. Amber read a book in her room, which is her blizzard strategy — withdrawal, silence, a novel as a bunker. Josie colored at the kitchen table and asked me every fifteen minutes when the snow would stop, and I said I do not know, and she said can you make it stop, and I said no, and she said why not, and I said because I am your mother, not God, and there is a difference, though some days the job descriptions overlap.

Dave shoveled the driveway three times. The third time was futile — the wind filled it in within the hour. He came inside smelling like cold and effort and sat at the table and I gave him soup and bread and he ate without speaking because Dave speaks through his hands, always has, and the shoveling was a conversation, and the eating was a reply.

The ham bone is only in the freezer once a year, and when it’s gone, it’s gone — but the need for a pot of something warm and serious on the stove doesn’t wait for leftover holidays. This meatball soup has become my answer for every other blizzard, every other Tuesday when the sky turns the color of a bruise and the kids start bouncing off the walls and I need something that simmers low and fills the house with the smell of something good. It’s the kind of soup Dave eats without talking, which in our house is the highest compliment there is.

Meatball Soup

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• For the meatballs:
• 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
• 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• For the soup:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 medium carrots, sliced into coins
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow)
• 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

Instructions

1. Make the meatballs. In a bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, Parmesan, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined — don’t overwork it. Roll into 1-inch balls (you should get about 24). Set aside on a plate.
2. Brown the meatballs. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer and brown on all sides, about 4–5 minutes total. They don’t need to be cooked through. Remove to a plate.
3. Sauté the vegetables. In the same pot, reduce heat to medium. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Build the broth. Stir in the diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a steady simmer.
5. Add the meatballs back in. Return the browned meatballs to the pot. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender.
6. Cook the pasta. Add the pasta directly to the pot and cook according to package directions, usually 8–10 minutes, until al dente. Remove the bay leaf.
7. Season and serve. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, top with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan if you like. Serve with crusty bread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 370 | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 30g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 820mg