Spaghetti Soup

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook them for 5-6 minutes until nicely browned on all sides. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound meatballs
In the same pot, add the onion and cook until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute just until fragrant.
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
Pour in the marinara sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
24 oz marinara sauce
Season the sauce with the Italian seasoning and toss in the bay leaf. Stir in the chicken broth and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
½ tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 bay leaf
5 cups chicken broth
Add the spaghetti, stirring occasionally to keep the noodles from sticking together. Cook for 8-10 until the pasta is tender but still has a bit of a bite.
8 oz spaghetti
Return the meatballs to the pot and heat gently for 2-3 minutes until warmed through. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh basil leaves and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6-8 fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Serve steaming hot, topped with grated Parmesan, if you like.
Grated Parmesan