Description
Italian Wedding Soup is a comforting traditional Italian-American soup featuring tender meatballs, fresh vegetables, and tender pasta in a savory chicken broth, topped with wilted greens for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus 3 tablespoons for frying meatballs)
- 2 carrots, sliced into circles
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup orzo or acini de pepe pasta
- 1 bag baby spinach or escarole
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Parmesan cheese, milk, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, and fresh parsley. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated, then roll the mixture into small quarter-sized meatballs.
- Sear Meatballs: Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Carefully place the meatballs into the hot oil and sear each side for 30-45 seconds until browned but not fully cooked through. Remove the browned meatballs and set them aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, remove any excess oil and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Over medium heat, sauté the chopped onions for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the sliced carrots and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Meatballs: Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Return the seared meatballs to the pot and allow the soup to simmer gently for 15 minutes to cook the meatballs through.
- Add Pasta and Simmer: After 15 minutes, add the orzo or acini de pepe pasta to the soup. Continue simmering for an additional 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- Wilt Greens: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the baby spinach or escarole. Cover the soup and let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the greens to wilt. Stir gently before serving the soup hot.
Notes
- For a lighter version, ground turkey or chicken can be used instead of ground beef.
- Fresh herbs like basil or thyme can be added for extra flavor.
- Orzo pasta can be substituted with acini de pepe or small pasta shapes of choice.
- To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free bread crumbs and pasta.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, but pasta may absorb broth and thicken soup.
