Meatball Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

On my facebook page yesterday, I mentioned that my husband and I are on vacation!!!  We both took this week off work to relax and spend some time together!  When I mentioned at work that I was going on “vacation”, the first thing people ask is “Hey, where are you going”?”  Why is it that when someone goes on “vacation”, you assume they are going somewhere?  I guess you could call our vacation more of a stay-cation!  We plan to hang out, and do that stuff you never have time to do.  You know, like organize your silverware and utensils drawer!

I don’t know about you, but we got some snow up here in the Colorado mountains!  I love spring, but I love snow too!  Most of it has melted, but it covered the ground for a little bit!

(You have no idea how bad we want to cut down that telephone pole!  It doesn’t even have any wires attached … just a random pole in the middle of our view!!)

Sounded like a good day to sleep in and eat some soup!  Yesterday, my stoup focused on green vegetables, in honor of St. Patty’s day.  Today, this soup is all about reds and oranges … carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and red cabbage!  This soup is nice, because it practically cooks itself!  Put everything in a pot, and check back in a couple hours!

Meatball Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

Adapted from The Elliott Homestead

Print this recipe!

Meatballs:

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 lean ground beef

2 large eggs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Soup:

8 cups water/broth (I used 8 cups water and my homemade vegetable bouillon)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes (not drained – pour in the juice and tomatoes)

2-3 cups shredded red cabbage

First, make the meatballs.  Combine the meat, eggs, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Form into meatballs.  You should have about 36 meatballs.

Place the meatballs in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.

Heat a large pan over medium high heat.  Add the olive oil to the pan.  In batches, brown the meatballs.  Cook a few minutes on each side.  The meatballs don’t need to fully cook, just brown the outsides.

Add the water or broth, carrot, sweet potato, and diced tomatoes.  Cook over medium heat at least 30 minutes, or up to a couple hours.  I simmered my soup on the back burner for about 2 hours.  Yum!

Taste, and add salt/pepper if needed.

Add in the cabbage, and serve!

Cheese optional