Springtime Beef Meatball & White Bean Minestrone
with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Cooking time
20 minutes
Servings
2/4
Calories
690 /serving
Custom-made for a cool spring evening, this soup packs meat and veg into one hot-ticket pot. The inspiration is Italy, where minestrone’s rustic roots date back to ancient times. Heighten the homespun feel by plunking in big fat ground beef meatballs bulging with Mediterranean-style spices. They’re met with hearty white kidney beans, simmered carrots, green beans and peas. The secret to the more-ish broth? Sun-dried tomato pesto.
We will send you:
- 250g Canadian-raised lean ground beef
- 100g Nantes carrots
- 150g Green beans
- 30ml Sun-dried tomato pesto
- 1 Shallot (or onion)
- 540ml White kidney beans (canned)
- 150g Green peas
- 30ml Vegetable demi-glace
- 10g Mediterranean Shores spices (paprika, garlic, salt, roasted garlic, black pepper, sun-dried tomato, tomato, red bell pepper, oregano, mustard, rosemary)
Contains: Cashews, Milk, Mustard
You will need:
Large pot
Strainer
Oil
Salt & pepper (S&P)
Total Fat
32 g
Saturated Fat
8 g
Sodium
1340 mg
Total Carb
67 g
Sugars
15 g
Protein
46 g
Fibre
27 g
Preparation
Prepare the meatballs
Halve, peel and mince the shallot. In a large bowl, combine the beef, ½ the spices, ½ the shallot and S&P. Form into 8 meatballs (double for 4 portions) about the size of a golf ball.
Cook the meatballs
In a large pot, heat a drizzle of oil on medium-high. Add the meatballs* and cook, partially covered, turning occasionally, 9 to 11 min., until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, leaving any browned bits in the pot. Reserve the pot.
Mise en place
Meanwhile, halve the carrots lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise. Remove the stem ends of the green beans; thinly slice crosswise on an angle. Drain and rinse the kidney beans.
Start the minestrone
In the reserved pot, heat a drizzle of oil on medium-high. Add the carrots, remaining shallot and spices, and S&P. Sauté, 2 to 3 min., until the carrots begin to soften. Add the pesto, demi-glace and 3 cups water (double for 4 portions); bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and scrape up any browned bits.
Finish the minestrone
To the pot of soup, add the green beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 min., until crisp-tender. Add the peas, kidney beans and meatballs. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 min., until warmed through and combined.
Plate your dish
Divide the minestrone between your bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of oil and freshly cracked black pepper. Bon appétit!
*Health Canada recommends cooking ground beef to a minimum internal temperature of 71°C.
