Cosy Meatball and Orzo Soup

Family dinner · Serves 2 grown-ups and 2 little ones · 40 minutes, one pot

The evenings are finally cooling down across the UAE.

And that means soup season!

This is the dinner I'd make for a family I loved. Tiny meatballs, tiny pasta, soft veg, all in one pot. Everyone eats the same meal, just served a little differently. That's what family dinners are all about.

You Will Need

For the mini meatballs

• 400 g halal beef or lamb mince (or chicken mince)
• 30 g fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or a little chopped parsley

For the soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 courgette, finely diced
• 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 litre low-salt or homemade chicken or vegetable stock
• 100 g orzo (tiny rice-shaped pasta) or broken-up spaghetti
• A big handful of baby spinach
• Grated parmesan to serve (optional)

Let's Make It

1. Mix all the meatball ingredients in a bowl. Roll into small balls, about the size of a grape. You'll get around 30.
2. Heat the oil in a big pan. Brown the meatballs in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning them. They don't need to cook through yet. Lift them out onto a plate.
3. In the same pan, soften the onion, carrot and courgette for 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.
5. Pop the meatballs back in, add the orzo, and simmer gently for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pasta is soft and the meatballs are cooked right through.
6. Stir in the spinach for the last minute until it wilts.
7. Taste and season the grown-ups' bowls with salt and pepper at the table.

Keep it: 2 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. The orzo soaks up liquid, so add a splash of water when you reheat.

Little Hands Can Help 🙌

• Squish the meatball mix with clean hands (then straight to handwashing).
• Roll the meatballs. Little ones make wonky ones. They taste just the same!
• Tear the spinach and drop it into the pot with you, standing well back from the heat.

Safety Note for Under-3s ⚠️

• Cut each meatball into halves or quarters, or squash them flat with a fork, before serving.
• Let the soup cool well. Spoon some onto a plate to cool faster.
• For babies, use low-salt stock or water and skip adding salt. You could scoop out the solids and offer them as finger food, with a little broth in an open cup.
• Contains egg, wheat and dairy (if using parmesan).
• Always cook mince right through, with no pink in the middle.

Print This Recipe

Pop it on the fridge! Tap the card to open it full size, then save or print.

Looking for something else to cook? See all my family recipes.

💛 Who's helping you roll meatballs this week? Tag me on Instagram @principal_lisa.

If dinnertime has become a battle in your house, you don't have to work it out on your own. Book a Free Discovery Call and let's talk it through together: https://www.thepottyqueen.me/free-call

With love, Principal Lisa x