Description
Hearty rigatoni meatball soup delivers Italian comfort directly to kitchen tables. Savory meatballs nestled in rich tomato broth promise satisfying warmth for hungry families seeking classic culinary comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (for soup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (for meatballs)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (for soup)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (for meatballs)
- ½ tsp salt (for soup)
- ½ tsp salt (for meatballs)
- ½ tsp black pepper (for soup)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (for meatballs)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3 tbsps olive oil
- 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes
- 4 cups (1 L) chicken or beef broth
- 2 cups rigatoni pasta
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
- 2 tbsps fresh basil or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Meatball Crafting: Thoroughly blend ground beef with breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until ingredients harmonize seamlessly, creating a uniform mixture with balanced flavor profiles.
- Searing Technique: Heat olive oil in a substantial pot over medium-high flame, developing a glistening cooking surface. Carefully introduce meatballs, allowing them to caramelize into a rich golden-brown exterior by rotating periodically, ensuring complete surface coverage and comprehensive sealing within 4-5 minutes.
- Preliminary Staging: Strategically remove perfectly seared meatballs to a holding plate, preserving their intense flavor and preparing them for subsequent soup integration.
- Flavor Foundation: Utilize the identical pot to sauté onions, carrots, and celery, developing a robust aromatic base that will infuse the soup with complex, layered taste dimensions.
- Liquid Composition: Pour chicken broth and crushed tomatoes into the vegetable-laden pot, creating a harmonious liquid environment that will serve as the soup’s fundamental character.
- Meatball Reunion: Gently reintroduce seared meatballs into the simmering liquid, allowing them to continue cooking and releasing their concentrated flavors into the broth.
- Pasta Integration: Add rigatoni directly into the pot, permitting the pasta to absorb the rich, multilayered broth while maintaining its structural integrity.
- Final Refinement: Simmer the entire composition until pasta reaches perfect al dente texture, garnishing with fresh basil and additional Parmesan to elevate the dish’s sensory experience.
Notes
- Meat Mixture Mastery: Avoid overmixing the ground beef to prevent dense, tough meatballs. Gently combine ingredients just until they’re evenly incorporated for tender, juicy results.
- Sizing Matters: Use a small ice cream scoop or consistently sized spoon to create uniform meatballs, ensuring even cooking and professional-looking presentation.
- Searing Technique: Allow enough space between meatballs while browning to prevent steaming. Use a wide pot and work in batches if necessary to achieve that perfect golden-brown crust.
- Temperature Control: Use a meat thermometer to check internal meatball temperature, aiming for 160°F to guarantee food safety without overcooking and drying out the meat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg