It has been brrrrrrr on our little piece of the Alameda Riviera in Northern California this week. We rarely dip below the mid-50s in the winter and we were seeing low-40s … This weather calls for soup! This meatball soup is inexpensive and easy to assemble. Our local Grocery Outlet always has these ingredients in stock with the whole meal costing $12. I simply added sourdough bread and butter on the side and it was a filling meal with leftovers for lunch. And any time I have the opportunity to make a meal in my Nana’s Dutch oven makes me so happy … extra love in every bite.
Variations: I used hot Italian sausage because Hubby and I both like spicy food. You can use the mild if you prefer. This particular brand is seasoned nicely and I didn’t need to add a single spice, other than a parsley garnish. I used chicken broth as it’s what I had on hand. Beef or vegetable broth would be good as well. I had a can of white chili beans that were already seasoned with onion, garlic and jalapeno, which also added to the flavor. You can use unseasoned white or great Northern beans instead and then gauge the seasoning level before adding the spinach.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Italian sausage
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- About 12 baby carrots, sliced into small pieces
- 28 oz chicken broth
- 14 oz Italian-style diced tomatoes
- 1 large or 2 small zucchini, cubed
- 14 oz white beans
- 2 cups spinach, packed and rinsed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Remove the casings from the sausage and cut into 1 inch pieces. Roll into balls.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven and brown meatballs. Add carrots and cook another 4 minutes.
- Stir in broth and tomatoes and bring to just a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Let cook for 10 minutes.
- Add beans with liquid and zucchini. Bring back to just a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Let cook for 5 minutes or until zucchini is tender.
- Taste and season as desired.
- Turn off heat and stir in spinach. Cover, allowing the spinach for 5 minutes and serve.
Serves 4.
A few other Grocery Outlet dishes served last week included pork loin, gnocchi (which they always have a wide variety to choose from) and spinach, and a veggie lentil stew. A very cool find for Valentine’s Day: grass fed boneless New York strip steak and wild caught lobster!
Go To Tuesdays are weekly recipes from products purchased at the Alameda Grocery Outlet, 730 Buena Vista Ave.
Please let me know if you made the recipe and liked it or would suggest changes. And also feel free to suggest future recipes.
Vivo O Sonho 