Slow Cooker Vegetable and Meatball Soup
3624 days ago
Skip to recipeIt is wintry here in Western New York and a warm, comforting bowl of soup on a cold day tastes so good. The slow cooker is a convenient way to serve your family a hearty meal with little effort. This soup recipe is a veggie-packed, stick-to-your ribs soup you'll enjoy. Add sliced fresh Italian or French bread and I think your family will say, "Yum."
I usually put this together in the morning before I leave for work so I do some prepping ahead of time. That way, it will take just a few minutes to combine everything in the cooker and you're out the door. Here are some tips
- Slice and chop the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and mushrooms the night before. Place in a covered bowl and refrigerate.
- Measure the salt, pepper, basil and oregano into a small container.
- Make the meatballs and refrigerate.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground round
- 2/3 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Soup
- 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
- 4 cups of tomato juice
- 1 tablespoons dried basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup of sliced mushrooms
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, un-drained
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Place all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix gently. Using a teaspoon, make 30 to 40 meatballs. Sauté in olive oil until lightly brown. Set aside. (Fully cook meatballs if refrigerating overnight.)
- Place all ingredients, except pasta and Parmesan cheese in a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker. Add meatballs. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours. Stir in pasta. Cover and cook on high for 15 to 20 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Sprinkle each serving with cheese. Makes 12 servings. This soup can be made without the meatballs and it is just as good.