4.85 stars (20 ratings)
44 Comments »
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My favorite cozy weeknight meatball soup recipe! Made so hearty with white beans, spinach, and the most tender chicken meatballs!
Happy post-Christmas day!
I hope you all had the most amazing Christmas yesterday. I ate about 17 donuts, opened all of my presents, and then finished off my night with some warm monkey bread.
Oh, and among my presents were freshly baked chocolate chip cookies from Grandma, which I had right before bed, in bed actually, with a tall glass of milk. And I’m not sorry about it at all!
Now we have a few more days here in Indianapolis but all I can think about is curling up in my own bed at home with a giant bowl of this soup (with a hidden stash of Grandma’s cookies for dessert, of course), sopping up all this goodness with perfectly toasted crostini bites.
I mean, really, there’s just so much treasure in this soup, from the hearty white beans to the baby spinach to the most tender chicken meatballs. Not to mention, the freshly grated Parmesan on top for that finishing touch!
Spinach and White Bean Meatball Soup
Yield: 4 servings
Prep: 20 minutes minutes
Cook: 20 minutes minutes
Total: 40 minutes minutes
My favorite cozy weeknight soup! Made so hearty with white beans, spinach, and the most tender chicken meatballs!
4.9 stars (20 ratings)
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the chicken meatballs
- 1 pound ground chicken
- ⅓ cup Panko
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, Panko, Parmesan, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic powder and red pepper flakes, if using; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 3/4-to-1-inch meatballs, forming about 25-30 meatballs.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add meatballs, in batches, and cook until all sides are browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Add garlic, onion and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme and basil until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaves and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and meatballs; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender and meatballs are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
Stir in spinach and cannellini beans until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
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posted on December 25, 2018under entree, soup
44 CommentsLeave a Comment »
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44 comments -
Cathy — February 21, 2024 @ 3:25 PM Reply
Will this one freeze well? Please let me know if you have tried that. thanks
-
Jackie — September 23, 2023 @ 5:51 PM Reply
Will this soup freeze well?
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Cyndi — June 29, 2023 @ 8:54 PM Reply
Really good! Used kale instead of spinach and added mushrooms.
-
Paulette Melanson — March 7, 2023 @ 10:52 AM Reply
Made this for lunch today, deee.licious!
I had some shredded rotisserie chicken that I wanted to use so I added that instead of making meatballs and added the crushed red pepper to the soup to give it some zip.
I used homemade soup stock because that’s what I had.
The orzo did absorb almost all of the broth so I will add more broth and more fresh spinach when I reheat the leftovers tomorrow, but this made for a hearty bowl today.
I’m on a low salt diet so I’m glad it wasn’t salty. My husband just adds salt to his serving as he has low BP. I know, Jack Sprat and his wife. LOL
-
Barbara — November 9, 2022 @ 2:56 PM Reply
Added 1 more cup of stock (not broth), 1 tbl. Chicken bouillon, 1/3 cup orzo was the perfect amount. Kosher salt makes the difference in the flavor . Excellent flavor.
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Kathy — July 26, 2022 @ 4:21 PM Reply
Very good! agree with others and used 3/4 c. orzo. after sitting I added another can of chicken broth before I added the spinach to give it some broth. It does need a heavy dose of salt. But very satisfying.
-
Megan — April 14, 2022 @ 7:05 PM Reply
It’s good but not great. I would definitely recommend putting about 1/2 to a 3/4 cup of orzo instead of a full cup unless you want hardly any broth left. I also feel like the broth didn’t have much flavor to what I would have hoped as well as the meatballs. I feel like the meatballs were kind of bland. Overall it’s okay but probably won’t make again.
-
Bev — December 14, 2021 @ 5:10 PM Reply
I made this last Christmas and again today. I added some leftover chopped Roma tomatoes , and fresh spinach , chopped green beans at the end and used Israel Couscous instead of Orso.
Love it
-
Marissa — March 5, 2021 @ 3:53 PM Reply
Can’t wait to try! Quick and silly question: the photo shows celery, but there is none listed in recipe. Any reason for this? Thanks!
-
Sharon Dehmlow — February 12, 2021 @ 7:39 PM Reply
I just love this soup! I made several changes though, nothing earth shattering. The meatball mixture looked very dry so I added an egg. The meatballs turned out great! So moist and delicious. I also added about a tablespoon of chicken bouillion to the broth because I wanted a bit more flavor. However, after I let the soup cool for awhile, the broth got absorbed by the orzo almost completely! Next time I will cook the orzo separately and add it in, or I’ll use less. Nonetheless, I’ll definitely make this again. It’s very satisfying!
-
Noriko — December 18, 2020 @ 8:51 PM Reply
I followed the instructions for the chicken meatballs but it wasn’t tender as I would have hoped for. I was so impressed with the ham bone soup that I had to try another. This one okay.
-
Kimberly — October 26, 2020 @ 8:51 AM Reply
Looks great! Could you please post nutrition info for this recipe?
-
Vicky — December 1, 2020 @ 11:15 AM Reply
You can search for a nutrition calculator online and input the ingredients
-
kathie behre — October 7, 2020 @ 1:06 PM Reply
This was absolutely delicious! I only added one extra ingredient to the meatball mixture, which was a large egg for extra moistness. I added the crushed red pepper which the recipe called for and I’m glad I did. The red pepper added a little pop of heat and flavor.
-
Amy — July 21, 2020 @ 10:34 AM Reply
The flavor was fantastic!!! Will make this a part of my regular menu items!
-
Deb — June 19, 2020 @ 1:10 PM Reply
Overall pretty good. Just wondering if the cup of orzo should of just been 1/2 cup. Way too thick.
-
Christine Boniberger — May 7, 2020 @ 3:16 PM Reply
Absolutely delicious!!! Definitely make again
-
Nancy — March 31, 2020 @ 2:55 PM Reply
Made this tonight for dinner. It was easy to make and very good. Definitely will make again,
-
Anne — February 16, 2020 @ 5:56 AM Reply
Great and easy to make! Followed the recipe except used pre-made meatballs I had in the freezer. Wouldn’t change a thing!
-
Fran — January 21, 2020 @ 8:06 AM Reply
Does this soup freeze well or is it better to refrigerate and eat within 1-2 days?
-
Missy — January 13, 2020 @ 1:22 PM Reply
Fast ,easy healthy soup
-
Bernadette — November 13, 2019 @ 3:45 PM Reply
I made this soup a few nights ago on a cold, damp evening, and oh my – it was so, so good! Somehow it manages to be both light and hearty, and it warmed us right to our toes. The flavors were spot-on, the little meatballs were so tender and flavorful, we loved all the veggies in it, and adding the lemon juice at the end really brought everything together perfectly. I’m new to your site, but I’ve already got a few more recipes slated for the weeks to come.
-
Paula — February 24, 2019 @ 2:21 PM Reply
Excellent soup, bravo !
-
Rachel — February 22, 2019 @ 6:00 PM Reply
I’ve tried several recipes and am always happy with myself for making a tasty meal! Made the soup today and it’s delicious just too much orzo for me. Will be making beef enchiladas this Sunday. Thank you!
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — February 22, 2019 @ 10:16 PM Reply
Thanks for your feedback!
-
Paulette Hennessy — January 25, 2019 @ 6:22 PM Reply
This soup is delicious – I would most definitely make it again.
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — January 26, 2019 @ 12:34 PM Reply
Awesome!
-
Carol — January 22, 2019 @ 3:02 PM Reply
Very good soup. The meatballs were great. I did have to add more broth and adjust seasoning accordingly. I would diffently make again.
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — January 22, 2019 @ 7:22 PM Reply
Thanks for your feedback, Carol!
-
Evelyn — January 17, 2019 @ 11:07 PM Reply
The amount of ads on your website has gotten ridiculous. Especially moving ads
Impossible to enjoy your beautiful recipes
-
Chungah @ Damn Delicious — January 18, 2019 @ 5:54 AM Reply
Evelyn, please understand that these ads keep my recipes and video tutorials completely free of charge to amazing readers like yourself. You can simply close out the ads if you prefer not to see them. 🙂
-
Ava — January 14, 2019 @ 1:08 PM Reply
Awesome, i just made it. And it was great. Thank you!
-
Sandra Galvan — January 4, 2019 @ 8:33 PM Reply
This soup was amazing!!! Although I had to make 2 substitutes the market didn’t have ground chicken or orzo pasta. So I used ground turkey and star pasta and even doubled the recipe. I definitely will make this soup again. Meatballs were so tender and flavorful even the broth. #damdelicious
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — January 5, 2019 @ 7:45 AM Reply
Awesome!
-
Suzanne — December 30, 2018 @ 7:44 PM Reply
So good! Doubled recipe except beans and pasta. Everyone loved! Wouldn’t change a thing!
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — January 1, 2019 @ 3:31 PM Reply
Awesome!
-
Peter Nichol — December 27, 2018 @ 1:53 PM Reply
Made it for lunch. But used veggie stock and pork mince as I’m not into chicken. Also put in chopped roasted red peppers. Happy New Year to every one from New Zealand
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — December 28, 2018 @ 5:16 PM Reply
Thank you, Peter!
-
Sally — December 27, 2018 @ 10:50 AM Reply
Can I bake meatballs instead of doing it on stove top? This looks yummy and I can’t wait to try’
-
Chungah @ Damn Delicious — December 28, 2018 @ 2:45 AM Reply
Yes, of course!
-
Teresa Salmans — December 27, 2018 @ 9:30 AM Reply
This looks so yummy, but finding ground chicken in my area dicey, can ground turkey be used,?
-
Chungah @ Damn Delicious — December 28, 2018 @ 2:47 AM Reply
Yes, of course!
-
Alexandra Armstrong — December 26, 2018 @ 4:25 PM Reply
I made this tonight to lighten dinner up after too many holiday cookies and hams (not that there’s anything wrong with those!) It was incredibly flavorful and delicious, and so simple to make! Thanks so much for another winning recipe! My husband and I absolutely love all of your recipes!
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — December 28, 2018 @ 5:17 PM Reply
Thank you! Happy Holidays!
Cathy — February 21, 2024 @ 3:25 PM Reply
Will this one freeze well? Please let me know if you have tried that. thanks
Jackie — September 23, 2023 @ 5:51 PM Reply
Will this soup freeze well?
Cyndi — June 29, 2023 @ 8:54 PM Reply
Really good! Used kale instead of spinach and added mushrooms.
Paulette Melanson — March 7, 2023 @ 10:52 AM Reply
Made this for lunch today, deee.licious!
I had some shredded rotisserie chicken that I wanted to use so I added that instead of making meatballs and added the crushed red pepper to the soup to give it some zip.
I used homemade soup stock because that’s what I had.
The orzo did absorb almost all of the broth so I will add more broth and more fresh spinach when I reheat the leftovers tomorrow, but this made for a hearty bowl today.
I’m on a low salt diet so I’m glad it wasn’t salty. My husband just adds salt to his serving as he has low BP. I know, Jack Sprat and his wife. LOL
Barbara — November 9, 2022 @ 2:56 PM Reply
Added 1 more cup of stock (not broth), 1 tbl. Chicken bouillon, 1/3 cup orzo was the perfect amount. Kosher salt makes the difference in the flavor . Excellent flavor.
Kathy — July 26, 2022 @ 4:21 PM Reply
Very good! agree with others and used 3/4 c. orzo. after sitting I added another can of chicken broth before I added the spinach to give it some broth. It does need a heavy dose of salt. But very satisfying.
Megan — April 14, 2022 @ 7:05 PM Reply
It’s good but not great. I would definitely recommend putting about 1/2 to a 3/4 cup of orzo instead of a full cup unless you want hardly any broth left. I also feel like the broth didn’t have much flavor to what I would have hoped as well as the meatballs. I feel like the meatballs were kind of bland. Overall it’s okay but probably won’t make again.
Bev — December 14, 2021 @ 5:10 PM Reply
I made this last Christmas and again today. I added some leftover chopped Roma tomatoes , and fresh spinach , chopped green beans at the end and used Israel Couscous instead of Orso.
Love it
Marissa — March 5, 2021 @ 3:53 PM Reply
Can’t wait to try! Quick and silly question: the photo shows celery, but there is none listed in recipe. Any reason for this? Thanks!
Sharon Dehmlow — February 12, 2021 @ 7:39 PM Reply
I just love this soup! I made several changes though, nothing earth shattering. The meatball mixture looked very dry so I added an egg. The meatballs turned out great! So moist and delicious. I also added about a tablespoon of chicken bouillion to the broth because I wanted a bit more flavor. However, after I let the soup cool for awhile, the broth got absorbed by the orzo almost completely! Next time I will cook the orzo separately and add it in, or I’ll use less. Nonetheless, I’ll definitely make this again. It’s very satisfying!
Noriko — December 18, 2020 @ 8:51 PM Reply
I followed the instructions for the chicken meatballs but it wasn’t tender as I would have hoped for. I was so impressed with the ham bone soup that I had to try another. This one okay.
Kimberly — October 26, 2020 @ 8:51 AM Reply
Looks great! Could you please post nutrition info for this recipe?
-
Vicky — December 1, 2020 @ 11:15 AM Reply
You can search for a nutrition calculator online and input the ingredients
kathie behre — October 7, 2020 @ 1:06 PM Reply
This was absolutely delicious! I only added one extra ingredient to the meatball mixture, which was a large egg for extra moistness. I added the crushed red pepper which the recipe called for and I’m glad I did. The red pepper added a little pop of heat and flavor.
Amy — July 21, 2020 @ 10:34 AM Reply
The flavor was fantastic!!! Will make this a part of my regular menu items!
Deb — June 19, 2020 @ 1:10 PM Reply
Overall pretty good. Just wondering if the cup of orzo should of just been 1/2 cup. Way too thick.
Christine Boniberger — May 7, 2020 @ 3:16 PM Reply
Absolutely delicious!!! Definitely make again
Nancy — March 31, 2020 @ 2:55 PM Reply
Made this tonight for dinner. It was easy to make and very good. Definitely will make again,
Anne — February 16, 2020 @ 5:56 AM Reply
Great and easy to make! Followed the recipe except used pre-made meatballs I had in the freezer. Wouldn’t change a thing!
Fran — January 21, 2020 @ 8:06 AM Reply
Does this soup freeze well or is it better to refrigerate and eat within 1-2 days?
Missy — January 13, 2020 @ 1:22 PM Reply
Fast ,easy healthy soup
Bernadette — November 13, 2019 @ 3:45 PM Reply
I made this soup a few nights ago on a cold, damp evening, and oh my – it was so, so good! Somehow it manages to be both light and hearty, and it warmed us right to our toes. The flavors were spot-on, the little meatballs were so tender and flavorful, we loved all the veggies in it, and adding the lemon juice at the end really brought everything together perfectly. I’m new to your site, but I’ve already got a few more recipes slated for the weeks to come.
Paula — February 24, 2019 @ 2:21 PM Reply
Excellent soup, bravo !
Rachel — February 22, 2019 @ 6:00 PM Reply
I’ve tried several recipes and am always happy with myself for making a tasty meal! Made the soup today and it’s delicious just too much orzo for me. Will be making beef enchiladas this Sunday. Thank you!
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — February 22, 2019 @ 10:16 PM Reply
Thanks for your feedback!
Paulette Hennessy — January 25, 2019 @ 6:22 PM Reply
This soup is delicious – I would most definitely make it again.
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — January 26, 2019 @ 12:34 PM Reply
Awesome!
Carol — January 22, 2019 @ 3:02 PM Reply
Very good soup. The meatballs were great. I did have to add more broth and adjust seasoning accordingly. I would diffently make again.
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — January 22, 2019 @ 7:22 PM Reply
Thanks for your feedback, Carol!
Evelyn — January 17, 2019 @ 11:07 PM Reply
The amount of ads on your website has gotten ridiculous. Especially moving ads
Impossible to enjoy your beautiful recipes
-
Chungah @ Damn Delicious — January 18, 2019 @ 5:54 AM Reply
Evelyn, please understand that these ads keep my recipes and video tutorials completely free of charge to amazing readers like yourself. You can simply close out the ads if you prefer not to see them. 🙂
Ava — January 14, 2019 @ 1:08 PM Reply
Awesome, i just made it. And it was great. Thank you!
Sandra Galvan — January 4, 2019 @ 8:33 PM Reply
This soup was amazing!!! Although I had to make 2 substitutes the market didn’t have ground chicken or orzo pasta. So I used ground turkey and star pasta and even doubled the recipe. I definitely will make this soup again. Meatballs were so tender and flavorful even the broth. #damdelicious
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — January 5, 2019 @ 7:45 AM Reply
Awesome!
Suzanne — December 30, 2018 @ 7:44 PM Reply
So good! Doubled recipe except beans and pasta. Everyone loved! Wouldn’t change a thing!
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — January 1, 2019 @ 3:31 PM Reply
Awesome!
Peter Nichol — December 27, 2018 @ 1:53 PM Reply
Made it for lunch. But used veggie stock and pork mince as I’m not into chicken. Also put in chopped roasted red peppers. Happy New Year to every one from New Zealand
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — December 28, 2018 @ 5:16 PM Reply
Thank you, Peter!
Sally — December 27, 2018 @ 10:50 AM Reply
Can I bake meatballs instead of doing it on stove top? This looks yummy and I can’t wait to try’
-
Chungah @ Damn Delicious — December 28, 2018 @ 2:45 AM Reply
Yes, of course!
Teresa Salmans — December 27, 2018 @ 9:30 AM Reply
This looks so yummy, but finding ground chicken in my area dicey, can ground turkey be used,?
-
Chungah @ Damn Delicious — December 28, 2018 @ 2:47 AM Reply
Yes, of course!
Alexandra Armstrong — December 26, 2018 @ 4:25 PM Reply
I made this tonight to lighten dinner up after too many holiday cookies and hams (not that there’s anything wrong with those!) It was incredibly flavorful and delicious, and so simple to make! Thanks so much for another winning recipe! My husband and I absolutely love all of your recipes!
-
Jana @ Damn Delicious — December 28, 2018 @ 5:17 PM Reply
Thank you! Happy Holidays!
