Pasta Soup with Little Meatballs

One day, when I was thumbing through recipes I had ripped out of magazines, I stumbled across this delicious little soup.  The picture just made it look so warm and comforting, I couldn't get it out of my mind.  That same day, I noticed our weather was supposed to get a little cooler, so I put it on my menu plan to make on a Sunday afternoon.  It ended up being the perfect day for soup!  That doesn't happen as often around here as it does in other places of the country, so I love to take advantage of it when I can.

This soup was wonderful!  Okay, so I adore meatballs, so I might be a bit bias, but still.  If you love pasta and you love pasta with meatballs, you will not want to pass this soup up.  It's like a little bowl of soupy heaven!!

Pasta Soup with Little Meatballs
Adapted from Cook's Country Magazine
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
For the meatballs -
1 slice white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 lbs 90% lean ground beef
For the soup -
8 oz dry elbow macaroni (2 cups)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
fresh chopped basil

Directions:
For the meatballs:  mash the bread and milk together in a large bowl.  Stir in the cheese, garlic, thyme, egg, salt and pepper.  add the meat and mix until combined.  With wet hands, form the mixture into 1-inch (or smaller if desired) meatballs.

For the soup: In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, add the meatballs and cook about 5 minutes, turning halfway through.  The meatballs will not be cooked through.  Drain and set aside.

Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a Dutch oven.  Add the macaroni and cook, stirring often, until al dente.  Drain the macaroni, rinse under cold water, and set aside.  Wipe the pot dry.

Heat the oil in the now empty pot over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in the the tomatoes and broth.  Add the meatballs (do not stir), bring to a simmer, and cook until the meatballs are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Stir the pasta into the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle individual portions with Parmesan and basil.  Enjoy!

Favorite Recipe of the Day from Past Years:  The Great Spam Experiment