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Soup season is year-round in my house!! And this soup is SOOO tasty that it actually blew my mind. I saw Rao's Mascarpone Marinara Sauce at the grocery store and immediately knew I had to buy it and make something with it. The result was this cozy soup filled with little homemade beef meatballs, carrots, celery, kale, and pasta in the most delicious tomato broth. I top mine with a TONNN of freshly grated Parmesan when serving!! I also like to cook the noodles separately because I almost always make enough soup for leftovers, and this one freezes SO well!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30–35 minutes
Total Time: 50–55 minutes
Serves: 6–8
Ingredients
For the Mini Meatballs
1 pound ground beef (85/15)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
For the Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (24-ounce) jar Rao's Mascarpone Marinara Sauce
2 empty marinara jars of water (approximately 6 cups total)
4 cups chicken broth, plus more as needed
¾ cup dry radiatori pasta, or your favorite small pasta
3 bunches kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus plenty more for serving
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley or basil, for serving
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, parsley, garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, and oregano. Gently mix everything together until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat. Roll into small, bite-sized meatballs, approximately ¾ inch in diameter. You should have around 35 mini meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs for about 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally until golden on the outside. They don't need to be fully cooked yet because they'll finish cooking in the soup. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for another minute, until fragrant.
Pour the entire jar of mascarpone marinara sauce into the pot. Fill the empty jar with water, give it a little shake to collect any remaining sauce, and pour it into the soup. Repeat with a second jar of water. Add the chicken broth and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, then stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer.
Carefully return the meatballs to the pot and simmer for about 10–12 minutes, or until cooked through and the centers reach 160°F.
While the meatballs cook, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the radiatori according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. I like cooking the pasta separately so it doesn't soak up all that delicious broth, especially when I'm planning on having leftovers!
Add the chopped kale to the soup a handful at a time, stirring as it wilts into the broth. Continue simmering for another 3–5 minutes, until tender.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the freshly grated Parmesan until melted into the broth. Taste and adjust with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed. If the soup is thicker than you'd like, add another splash of chicken broth.
To serve, divide the cooked pasta between bowls and ladle the hot soup over the top, making sure everyone gets plenty of mini meatballs, kale, and vegetables. Finish with a TON of freshly grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and fresh parsley or basil. Serve with crusty bread for dipping!
If you're making this for leftovers, store the pasta and soup separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The soup also freezes beautifully! Let it cool, then freeze the soup without the pasta in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat until steaming hot, and serve with freshly cooked pasta and plenty of Parmesan!
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Herby Mini Meatball Noodle Soup with Kale & Mascarpone Marinara
Soup season is year-round in my house!! And this soup is SOOO tasty that it actually blew my mind. I saw Rao's Mascarpone Marinara Sauce at the grocery store and immediately knew I had to buy it and make something with it. The result was this cozy soup filled with little homemade beef meatballs, carrots, celery, kale, and pasta in the most delicious tomato broth. I top mine with a TONNN of freshly grated Parmesan when serving!! I also like to cook the noodles separately because I almost always make enough soup for leftovers, and this one freezes SO well!
Ingredients
For the Mini Meatballs
For the Soup
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, parsley, garlic powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, and oregano. Gently mix everything together until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat. Roll into small, bite-sized meatballs, approximately ¾ inch in diameter. You should have around 35 mini meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Working in batches, brown the meatballs for about 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally until golden on the outside. They don't need to be fully cooked yet because they'll finish cooking in the soup. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for another minute, until fragrant.
Pour the entire jar of mascarpone marinara sauce into the pot. Fill the empty jar with water, give it a little shake to collect any remaining sauce, and pour it into the soup. Repeat with a second jar of water. Add the chicken broth and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, then stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer.
Carefully return the meatballs to the pot and simmer for about 10–12 minutes, or until cooked through and the centers reach 160°F.
While the meatballs cook, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the radiatori according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside. I like cooking the pasta separately so it doesn't soak up all that delicious broth, especially when I'm planning on having leftovers!
Add the chopped kale to the soup a handful at a time, stirring as it wilts into the broth. Continue simmering for another 3–5 minutes, until tender.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the freshly grated Parmesan until melted into the broth. Taste and adjust with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed. If the soup is thicker than you'd like, add another splash of chicken broth.
To serve, divide the cooked pasta between bowls and ladle the hot soup over the top, making sure everyone gets plenty of mini meatballs, kale, and vegetables. Finish with a TON of freshly grated Parmesan, cracked black pepper, and fresh parsley or basil. Serve with crusty bread for dipping!
If you're making this for leftovers, store the pasta and soup separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The soup also freezes beautifully! Let it cool, then freeze the soup without the pasta in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat until steaming hot, and serve with freshly cooked pasta and plenty of Parmesan!
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Herby Mini Meatball Soup With Kale & Mascarpone Marinara