Description
Italian Wedding Soup is a comforting classic Italian dish featuring tender meatballs simmered in a flavorful broth with vegetables, pasta, and fresh spinach. This hearty soup is garnished with parmesan cheese for an authentic finish, perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 8 oz. lean ground beef
- 8 oz. ground pork
- 1/2 cup fresh white bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano (or 3/4 tsp dried)
- 1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan
- 1 large egg
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Soup
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups chopped carrots
- 1 1/4 cups chopped yellow onion
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 Tbsp)
- 5 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup dry acini di pepe or orzo pasta
- 6 oz fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Finely shredded parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Make the Meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, combine the lean ground beef and ground pork. Add the fresh white bread crumbs, chopped parsley, minced oregano, shredded parmesan, egg, salt, and black pepper. Gently toss with your hands, breaking up the mixture to mix everything evenly. Shape the mixture into very small meatballs, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch in diameter, and place them on a large plate.
- Brown the Meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook until browned on two or three sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. Note that the meatballs will not be fully cooked at this stage as they will finish cooking in the soup.
- Sauté Vegetables: While browning the meatballs, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped carrots, onions, and celery. Sauté the vegetables until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Simmer Soup: Pour in the chicken broth to the sautéed vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add the dry pasta and browned meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer. Stir occasionally and cook until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Add Spinach and Serve: Stir in the chopped baby spinach during the last minute of cooking until wilted. Serve the soup warm, sprinkling each bowl with finely shredded parmesan cheese for added flavor.
Notes
- Use a hearty rustic bread for the bread crumbs by grinding a slice with a food processor. Save extra bread for serving or freeze for later use.
- If you prefer a brothier soup, reduce the pasta amount to 3/4 cup. Keep in mind pasta absorbs broth over time, so add extra broth if you want to thin the soup later.
- Adding a parmesan rind while simmering the soup enhances the flavor significantly.
- This recipe makes about 12 cups of soup, serving 6 people.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
