Italian Meatball & Bean Soup

I made meatball soup when I worked in an Italian restaurant years ago—and I’ve been playing with the recipe ever since! This is a taste sensation the whole family will love.

—Amanda Bowyer, Caldwell, ID

Prep: 30 min. • Cook: 5 hours • Makes: 6 servings

• 1 large egg
• 3 Tbsp. 2% milk
• ⅓ cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
• ½ lb. ground turkey
• 2 cans (14 ½ oz. each) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried minced garlic
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• Additional thinly sliced green onions, optional

1. 1. In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk and bread crumbs. Crumble sausage and turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. In a large skillet, brown meatballs in batches; drain.
2. 2. Transfer the meatballs to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low until a thermometer inserted in a meatball reaches 160°, 5-6 hours. If desired, top with additional thinly sliced green onion.

1 ½ cups: 529 cal., 31g fat (11g sat. fat), 119mg chol., 1273mg sod., 35g carb. (6g sugars, 8g fiber), 27g pro.