Minestrone Soup with Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

Turkey Meatballs:

1 egg, slightly beaten
60mL (1/4 cup) 2% milk
500 g ground turkey
50 g (125 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
15 mL (1 tbsp) Italian spices (or a mix of basil, oregano and thyme)

Minestrone Soup

30 mL (2 tbsp) olive oil
1 French shallot or 1 white leek
1 clove garlic, minced
100 g of pancetta or bacon (optional) cut into cubes
1,5 to 2 L (6-8 cups) of fresh vegetables cut into very small cube or sliced thinly (carrots, green and yellow beans, celery stalk, zucchini)
1-liter (4 cups) of vegetable broth or homemade turkey broth
1 bay leaf
1 jar Italian tomato puree (660ml)
1 parmesan cheese rind
1 can (540 mL) white beans, drained and rinsed

Extras and Sides

300 g short pasta already cooked al dente (I used shells)
Pesto made from basil or rocket
Parmigiano-Reggiano Parmesan shavings
Basil leaves

Directions

Meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400 ° F.
In a bowl, mix the beaten egg and milk. Add the ground turkey, parmesan and seasoning. Mix well and shape into 2.5 cm (about 1 inch) balls.
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with the minestrone soup.

Minestrone Soup:

In a large soup pot, add olive oil. Fry the shallot, garlic and pancetta (if using) for about 2 minutes. Add vegetables and cook 5 more minutes.
Add broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes and simmer about ten minutes.
Don’t forget to include a parmesan rind to give that unique umami taste. In the last five minutes, add the zucchini and white beans

In a separate pot, cook the pasta al dente and add to the soup when serving. Serve with a generous spoon of pesto, parmesan shavings and garnish with turkey meatballs