Meatball Tortellini Stew

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb extra lean ground beef
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
• 1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumb
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons salad oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 cups beef broth or 4 cups beef stock
• 1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes
• 1 (16 ounce) can cannellini beans or 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans or 1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans, including juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1 cup finely diced carrot
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 (9 ounce) package cheese-filled tortellini

Recipe

• 1 combine the beef, spinach (very well drained), bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper.
• 2 shape into 1-inch balls.
• 3 heat oil in dutch oven; add meatballs.
• 4 brown on all sides, rolling them around.
• 5 remove and reserve.
• 6 add the onion to the pot.
• 7 cook, stirring until soft.
• 8 stir in the broth, tomatoes, with their liquid (break up with spoon), beans, oregano and basil.
• 9 cover, simmer for 10 minutes.
• 10 add carrots and celery, simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• 11 add tortellini. and simmer for 5 minutes.
• 12 return meatballs to the stew and simmer for 10 minutes.
• 13 serve steaming hot with parmesan cheese on top.