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A bowl of hearty Beef Minestrone Soup with meatballs, beans, leafy greens, and chopped vegetables on a blue surface. Fresh basil leaves and a pot of soup are nearby, along with a small bowl of red pepper flakes.
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5 from 1 vote

Beef Minestrone Soup (With Mini Meatballs)

This beef minestrone soup skips the hours of braising, taking only 35 minutes. The meatballs make it high protein, too!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time32 minutes
Course: Main, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 495kcal
Author: Mimi Harrison

Ingredients

  • 500 g beef mince, 20% fat
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 400 g can of chopped tomatoes
  • 2 courgettes, diced
  • 1 can of white beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 can of pinto beans, rinsed & drained
  • 200 g ditali
  • 30 g parmesan
  • 100 g cavolo nero
  • Fresh basil

Cupboard Essentials

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1.3 litres beef stock
  • Salt
  • Pepper
Metric - US Standard

Instructions

  • Start by seasoning the beef mince with salt and pepper. Using a tablespoon measure, form around 20 mini meatballs.
  • Preheat a large/deep pot over a medium/high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil and meatballs to the pan, evenly distributing as much as possible. Leave to brown for around 4 minutes, then stir and continue to fry for another couple of minutes.
  • Set the meatballs aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Next, add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic into the pan. Season generously with salt and pepper and fry for around 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Next, add the chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, beef stock, meatballs, courgette and ditali into the pot. Cook for around 12-15 minutes over a low simmer, adding the white beans and pinto beans and cavolo nero into the pot for the final 3 minutes of cook time.
  • Season to taste and pour into bowls. Top with fresh basil and a sprinkle of grated parmesan.

Notes

  • For the best flavour, opt for above 12% fat with your beef mince.
  • I love cooking this minestrone with beef in a wide-based casserole dish for an even distribution of heat. 
  • Don't drain the fat after browning the meatballs. Frying the veg in that rendered fat is what gives this beef minestrone soup its depth.
  • The cavolo nero and beans go in for the last 3 minutes only. Any longer and they go soft.

Nutrition

Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g