Tender meatballs, veggies, and pasta in a rich and flavorful broth, Italian wedding soup is a meal unto itself.
My kids love anything with meatballs in it (especially mini meatballs), so there’s always excitement at our house when Italian wedding soup is on the menu. The name “wedding soup” comes from the Italian phrase ministrant marital – or “married soup” – which is a reference to the way the flavors combine, like a happy marriage. Wedding soup is traditionally made from a rich, long-cooked homemade chicken stock. To save time and mimic the same rich flavor, I use a combination of high-quality store-bought broth fortified with wine and lots of veggies. For the meatballs, my secret is to add ground sausage to the beef mixture, which adds tons of flavor without the need for lots of other seasonings. The most tedious part of the recipe is rolling the little meatballs – the recipe makes 50 – but I usually get one of the kids to help.
Similar to another classic Italian soup chock-full of veggies and pasta, pasta e foliage, Italian wedding soup can be a meal unto itself. Serve it with focaccia and a salad and dinner is done.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
Note that the recipe calls for regular (not low-sodium) chicken and beef broth. I find the soup to be a bit bland with the low-sodium varieties, but if you special dietary considerations, go ahead and use low-sodium and season to taste before serving.
ALSO READ : DIABETES VEGETABLES SOUP RECIPE
HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
Begin by making the meatballs.
In a large bowl, beat the egg with the chives, sage and garlic.
Add the ground beef, sausage, cheese, breadcrumbs, and salt.
Mash with your hands until evenly combined.
Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls (about 1 inch in diameter) and place on a greased oven-safe rack. (If you don’t have an oven-safe rack, it’s fine to cook the meatballs directly on the baking sheet; it’ll just be a little harder to get rid of the fat as it tends to collect around the meatballs.)
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside.
To make the soup, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, beef broth, water, wine, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, at a gentle boil until the pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions).
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Reduce the heat to low and add the spinach and meatballs.
Simmer for a few minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the meatballs are warmed through. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmigiana Reggiano.
MAKE IT AHEAD
If you’d like to make this soup part of your rotation and want to shave off a little time for the next time around, double the recipe for the meatballs and freeze half. That way, all you’ll have to do is make the soup and add the meatballs to it as directed in the recipe. (They may take a few extra minutes to warm through if you’re adding them directly from the freezer.)
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Pasta e Foliage
Smoky Chickpea, Red Lentil, and Vegetable Soup
Summer Vegetable Soup with Pesto
French Lentil and Vegetable Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE MEATBALLS
1 large egg
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ lb 85 or 90% lean ground beef
½ lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from the casings
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
⅓ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
¼ teaspoon salt
FOR THE SOUP
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
6 cups high-quality chicken broth, such as Swanson (do not use low-sodium)
2 cups high-quality beef broth, such as Swanson (do not use low-sodium)
2 cups water
½ cup dry white wine (optional)
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper (okay to use black pepper)
1 cup small pasta such as Stalinist
4 oz fresh spinach, stems trimmed and roughly chopped (once prepped, you should have about 3 packed cups)
Parmigiana Reggiano, for serving
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INSTRUCTIONS
Make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set an oven-proof roasting rack over top. Spray the rack generously with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat the egg with the chives, sage and garlic. Add the remaining meatball ingredients and mash with your hands until evenly combined. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls, about 1 inch in diameter (it will make approximately 50 meatballs), and place on the prepared rack. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside.
Meanwhile, start the soup. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth, beef broth, water, wine, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, at a gentle boil until the pasta is AL dented, 8 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions). Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Reduce the heat to low and add the spinach and meatballs. Simmer for a few minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the meatballs are warmed through. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months but wait until you reheat the soup to add the pasta. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stove-top over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender.