r/soup

My grandma used to make a soup for the holidays. She’s long since past and my aunt started making it. Post-covid the family doesn’t meet as much anymore so I asked for the recipe. It’s been years and I finally started to make it my own (quite recently) by adding stew meat instead of meatballs. I’m going to slowly change things 1 by 1 until I can say my grandma would be proud of it.

Recipe is below:

Ingredients
⁃ 2 good sized carrots sliced in discs or quarters whatever you prefer
⁃ 3-4 stalks Celery, sliced
⁃ 3/4 white onion
⁃ The amount of Garlic your heart desires. Doesn’t matter how much
⁃ 1 small can Tomato paste
⁃ 2 cans diced tomatoes
⁃ Meatballs or 2 lbs ground beef (to make meatballs) or 2 lbs stew meat (trimming excess fat)
⁃ Beef bouillon cubes
⁃ Beef broth
⁃ Beef ramen noodles
⁃ 2 packs of Knorr vegetable dip/soup mix

Seasonings
⁃ Salt (I like kosher salt)
⁃ Garlic powder
⁃ Onion powder
⁃ Black pepper
⁃ For spice: some red pepper flakes and/or cayenne. No matter the choice give it some chili powder if you add either. It gives it a little smoky flavor and doesn’t leave it just feeling spicy. It adds some depth.
⁃ Smoked paprika

Instructions for frozen meatballs
⁃ cut up vegetables and put them in the pan reserving the garlic
⁃ Seasoning your vegetables to your liking
⁃ Start the pan on medium and put the lid on the pan to let the vegetables sweat. You can add liquid if using a non-stick pan, but I would not use oil because the end product will feel a little greasy. For a Dutch oven or stainless steel, I would recommend some oil or some sort of liquid. If you use liquid in either, use either water or beef broth.
⁃ Just before they’re done to your liking, add the chopped garlic.
⁃ Once you feel it’s done enough, add in the can of tomato paste and combine into vegetables.
⁃ Slowly add in your beef broth and incorporate it to the tomato paste. This will make the soup slighter thicker if you don’t add a ton of liquid. Depends on your liking though. Either way, add enough broth to be over your liking. That way it doesn’t come out super thick.
⁃ Once the broth level is where it should be in the pot, put the heat to medium high. Season your broth and add 3-5 bouillon cubes to your liking and the Knorr vegetable mixes
⁃ Let it reach a boil and then turn it down to simmer for 4-6 hours stirring occasionally. Half to 3/4 way through, add the tomatoes. Once you feel it has reached a point to your liking, add in the frozen meatballs and let those cook for an hour or 2. Check the meatballs. If need be. Cook longer.
⁃ During the time of the start and end of the meatballs, check your seasonings. If it’s too salty do less of the ramen seasoning on the next step.
⁃ Once meatballs are just about done, add 2-3 packs of ramen noodles with the noodles all crushed up into tiny pieces to make eating easier.
⁃ Add in the ramen seasoning packets.
⁃ Let simmer for about another 30min to an 1hr or until noodles are finished and seasonings are to your liking.
⁃ Let cool for just a bit before serving.

Instructions for fresh made meatballs:

⁃ cut up vegetables and put them in the pan reserving the garlic
⁃ Seasoning your vegetables to your liking
⁃ Start the pan on medium and put the lid on the pan to let the vegetables sweat. You can add liquid if using a non-stick pan, but I would not use oil because the end product will feel a little greasy. For a Dutch oven or stainless steel, I would recommend some oil or some sort of liquid. If you use liquid in either, use either water or beef broth.
⁃ Just before they’re done to your liking, add the chopped garlic.
⁃ Once you feel it’s done enough, add in the can of tomato paste and combine into vegetables.
⁃ Slowly add in your beef broth and incorporate it to the tomato paste. This will make the soup slighter thicker if you don’t add a ton of liquid. Depends on your liking though. Either way, add enough broth to be over your liking. That way it doesn’t come out super thick.
⁃ Once the broth level is where it should be in the pot, put the heat to medium high. Season your broth and add 3-5 bouillon cubes to your liking and the Knorr vegetable mixes
⁃ Let it reach a boil and then turn it down to simmer for 4-6 hours stirring occasionally. Half to 3/4 way through, add the tomatoes.

Fresh Meatballs:

⁃	In a large mixing bowl, add 1-2 lbs ground beef (80/20 preferred)  
⁃	For each lb add one egg (come to find out milk can also be a binder if there’s enough protein and fat)  
⁃	A few dashes of Worcester sauce  
⁃	Add Italian seasoned breadcrumbs until the desired firmness.  
⁃	Form into the desired size ball shapes onto a flat microwavable (preferably ceramic) plate. You can also seat them prior to the microwave if you’d like. But that’s just more pans to wash.  
⁃	Average raw size will microwave for approx 7-7:30 minutes.  

- average seared meatballs will require less time. It depends on how you’d like them cooked.
⁃ Upon completion they will be transferred to a plate/bowl lined with extra absorbent paper towel.
⁃ Complete all batches
⁃ Let sit for 10 minutes
⁃ Add meatballs and existing liquid to soup
⁃ Let simmer for 1 hour or so

⁃	During the time of the start and end of the meatballs, check your seasonings. If it’s too salty do less of the ramen seasoning on the next step.  
⁃	Once meatballs are just about done, add 2-3 packs of ramen noodles with the noodles all crushed up into tiny pieces to make eating easier.  
⁃	Add in the ramen seasoning packets.  
⁃	Let simmer for about another 30-45min to an 1hr or until noodles are finished and seasonings are to your liking  
⁃	scrape off excess fat  
⁃	Let cool for just a bit before serving.

For stew meat:
⁃ cut up vegetables and put them in the pan reserving the garlic
⁃ Seasoning your vegetables to your liking
⁃ Trim excess fat from stew meat and throw in pan with vegetables. Create a decent layer of meat
⁃ Mix veggies and meat up
⁃ Start the pan on medium and put the lid on the pan to let the vegetables and meat cook down.
⁃ You can add liquid if using a non-stick pan (in this instance, the veggies and meat will create a type of stock and won’t necessarily need excess liquid in a non-stick pan), but I would not use oil because the end product will feel a little greasy. For a Dutch oven or stainless steel, I would recommend some oil or some sort of liquid. If you use liquid in either, use either water or beef broth.
⁃ Just before the meat and veggies are done to your liking, add the chopped garlic.
⁃ Once you feel it’s done enough, add in the can of tomato paste and combine into vegetables and meat.
⁃ Slowly add in your beef broth and incorporate it to the tomato paste. This will make the soup slighter thicker if you don’t add a ton of liquid. Depends on your liking though. Either way, add enough broth to be over your liking. That way it doesn’t come out super thick.
⁃ Once the broth level is where it should be in the pot, put the heat to medium high. Season your broth and add 3-5 bouillon cubes to your liking and the Knorr vegetable mixes
⁃ Let it reach a boil and then turn it down to simmer for 4-6 hours stirring occasionally. Half to 3/4 way through, add the tomatoes.
⁃ check your seasonings. If it’s too salty do less of the ramen seasoning on the next step.
- once everything is incorporated well and seasoning are correct, add 2-3 packs of ramen noodles with the noodles all crushed up into tiny pieces to make eating easier.
⁃ Add in the ramen seasoning packets for the number of packs of noodles
⁃ Let simmer for about another 30min to an 1hr or until noodles are finished and seasonings are to your liking.
⁃ Let cool for just a bit before serving.