0.0 – 0 reviews • Pasta Recipes
| Level: |
Intermediate |
| Total: |
1 hr |
| Cook: |
1 hr |
| Yield: |
6-8 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. Johnsonville® Mild Italian Sausage, decased
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup bread crumbs, (plain or seasoned)
- 2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed or chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, minced
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 med. onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp. dried or fresh thyme
- 1 tsp. dried sage leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 med. carrot, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 oz. orzo pasta, cooked
- 1 cup spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Mix meatball ingredients together and roll small meatballs the size of a marble. (If forming the meatball is difficult, cover and refrigerate first.)
- In a medium pan, cook orzo al dente, according to package directions, drain and set aside.
- Prep the vegetables.
- In a large pot, saute onion, thyme and sage in olive oil. When the onion starts to turn a golden color; add garlic, carrot, celery and cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Set the vegetable mixture aside on a plate.
- In the same pot add all the meatballs and cook for 2-3 minutes before stirring (this will keep them from breaking). Gently toss with a rubber spatula to brown on all sides.
- Add reserved vegetables, chicken stock, Bay leaf. Simmer gently, (do not boil) until vegetables are tender and meatballs are cooked through.
- Add cooked orzo and spinach, stir together. (Adding spinach right before serving will help it maintain its rich green color).
- Garnish soup bowls with parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size |
1 of 8 servings |
| Calories |
370 |
| Total Fat |
14 g |
| Saturated Fat |
4 g |
| Carbohydrates |
43 g |
| Dietary Fiber |
2 g |
| Sugar |
7 g |
| Protein |
17 g |
| Cholesterol |
42 mg |
| Sodium |
654 mg |
