Spaghetti hoop & meatball soup
Use orzo or giant couscous here instead of pasta hoops if you prefer, or add some shredded kale or cavolo nero. It’s a filling, family-friendly dish
- Prep:20 mins
Cook:40 mins
- Serves 4
- Easy
Nutrition per serving
- kcal 550
- fat 21g
- saturates 7g
- carbs 61g
- sugars 0g
- fibre 8g
- protein 26g
- salt 2.5g
Ingredients
- 6 sausages
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 1 carrot , finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves , crushed
- pinch of chilli flakes , plus extra to serve (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 rosemary sprig , leaves picked and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 25g parmesan , grated, plus the rind
- 250g small pasta hoops
- extra virgin olive oil , to serve
Method
Remove the sausage skins, break the meat into small pieces and roll into small balls, roughly the size of a grape. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the meatballs for a few minutes until browned all over. Remove to a plate.
Cook the onion and carrot in the pan for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic, chilli flakes (if using), bay leaf, rosemary and a pinch of salt. Cook for another minute, then stir in the tomato purée.
Add the vinegar, sugar, tomatoes, chicken stock and parmesan rind, and simmer gently for 20 mins.
Add the pasta hoops and return the sausage meatballs to the pan. Simmer, uncovered, for 8-10 mins, or until the pasta is cooked through – you may need to add a splash of water if the soup thickens too much, or boil it for a few minutes more to reduce it slightly if it’s too thin. Remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind, and season well. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with the grated parmesan, chilli flakes (if using) and a drizzle of olive oil.
