Freezer Slow Cooker Mini Meatball Minestrone Food

MINI MEATBALL MINESTRONE

Steps:

• To prepare the meatballs:
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and roll into 1/2 inch meatballs.
• Place on a cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes or until brown.
• To prepare soup (while meatballs are cooking):.
• Heat oil in a large stockpot. Saute the onions until softened and lightly brown, about 4 minutes.
• Add garlic and saute 2 minutes longer.
• Add stock, juice, green beans, carrots, kidney beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
• Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer on medium low for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add meatballs.
• Add pasta, cover pot, and cook about 10 minutes longer.

SLOW-COOKER MINESTRONE

Steps:

• Combine the first 13 ingredients in a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in beans, zucchini and pasta. Cook, covered, on high about 30 minutes longer, until pasta is tender. Discard bay leaves. If desired, top with grated Parmesan cheese. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add water if necessary.

EASY CROCK POT MEATBALL MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. Just before they are completely browned, add the onion to the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking about 2 more minutes or until the onions are soft.
• Add 1 cup of the beef broth to the pan, stirring up all the browned particles from the bottom of the pan. Carefully pour contents of skillet into your crock pot. I used a 4-quart sized crock pot.
• Add the rest of the beef broth, tomatoes, carrots, celery, green pepper, oregano, basil and parsley to the crock pot. Cover and cook on LO for 6 to 8 hours.
• Turn the heat to HI. Add the macaroni and rinsed and drained beans; stir. Cover and cook about 30 minutes until the macaroni is fully cooked.
• Taste before serving. If necessary, adjust seasoning. Serve in soup bowls with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

KITTENCAL'S MINI MEATBALL MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• For the meatballs; in a bowl combine all ingredients until blended.
• Shape into 3/4-inch balls; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to add to the soup.
• In a large pot heat olive oil over medium-high heat; add in garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add in onions, dried oregano and crushed chili flakes; saute for about 4 minutes, stirring.
• Add in celery, carrots and tomato paste; saute stirring for 2-3 minutes stirring with a wooden spoon.
• Add in chicken broth, tomato sauce, kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves and zucchini; return to a boil.
• Add in uncooked meatballs; bring to a simmer (do not stir for at least 20 minutes).
• Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours (after about 30 minutes of cooking season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste).
• Add in cooked pasta and 1/3 to 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; stir to heat through (can add in more cheese if desired).
• Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.

MEATBALL MINESTRONE WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the meatballs all over until browned. Remove and set aside on a plate. Add the carrot, celery and onion to the pan, and fry for 10 mins until soft. Stir in the garlic, oregano and bay. Tip in the tomatoes, beans, pasta and stock. Bring to a simmer.
• Add the meatballs back to the pan and cook until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are cooked through. Season, and add a dash of vinegar or a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, if you like. Ladle into four bowls, then swirl a spoon of pesto into each. Top with the basil to serve.

EASY MEATBALL MINESTRONE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine the first nine ingredients. Bring to a boil; add spaghetti. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until spaghetti is tender. Add the meatballs and tomatoes; heat through. Discard bay leaf.