For the meatballs: – 1 pound lean ground beef – 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese – ¼ cup plain panko breadcrumbs – 1 & 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder – 1 & 1/2 teaspoons onion powder – 1 large egg well beaten – 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt – 1/4 teaspoon black pepper For the soup: – 2 tablespoons olive oil – 1 cup small-diced sweet onion – 1 cup small-diced carrot – 1 cup small-diced celery – 2 cloves garlic minced – 6 cups beef stock – 14.5 ounce canned Italian style petite diced tomatoes undrained – 8 ounces tomato sauce – 2 bay leaves – 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning – 1 & 1/2 cups uncooked ditalini pasta – 1/4 cup grated parmesan – 10 fresh basil leaves roughly torn by hand
Heat the oven to 400°F. Parchment a baking sheet and set aside. My hands make it easier to mix ground beef, parmesan, panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
I use a cookie scoop to make 1.5 tablespoon meat balls. Put them on the sheet tray without touching.
Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes until lightly browned. Make soup while the meatballs bake. Put olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. After heating, add chopped onion, carrot, and celery.
Cook veggies until onion is transparent, stirring periodically, 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add beef stock, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, Italian spice, and cooked Italian meatballs to the saucepan. Add everything and stir.
Once boiling, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.
Stir in the pasta and boil for 10 minutes until al dente. To avoid spaghetti sticking, stir often and scrape the bottom.
Remove from fire, discard bay leaves, add parmesan cheese and torn basil, stir, and serve immediately.