Homemade Meatball Soup

I made a homemade meatball soup for lunch on Saturday. My family loved it with sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches. I once had a Italian Wedding Soup that had pasta and meatballs at a little hole in the wall place in Half Moon Bay called Lighthouse Cafe and Deli. I added cannellini beans, swiss chard, and tomatoes because I had it in my refrigerator and pantry.
Mo came over for my surprise birthday party last night and had it for breakfast. She requested the recipe so here it is-

Homemade Meatball Soup

For Meatballs-
1 cup bread crumbs
1 pound ground beef
8 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 palm full of Italian parsley, chopped fine
1 egg
salt and pepper
olive oil

Mix together by hand and form into balls about 11/2 inch size.
Brown meatballs in frying pan over medium heat and drain oil on a paper towel

Soup Stock-
4 cups chicken stock- store bought or homemade (husband had made chicken stock from last weeks roasted chicken bones.)
1 can 15.5 oz cannellini beans- white kidney beans, drained
1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 bunch of rainbow swiss chard, washed and roughly chopped
1 cup cooked pasta (I bought fresh gigli pasta at the farmer's market) Gigli means lillie in Italian
salt and pepper to taste

Combine together in a big pot chicken stock, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes with juice,  bring to boil and lower to a simmer. Add the meatballs, swiss chard and pasta. Then, add salt and pepper to taste.

It was awesome for lunch, but it was even better the next day. When you let the flavors co-mingle for 24 hours you get a more richer, more flavorful tasting soup.

Bon appetite!
Mer