This Italian Wedding Soup recipe from Once Upon A Chef is a hearty fare for a cold winter night that the whole family will love with tender meatballs, veggies, and pasta in a rich, flavorful broth.
For the meatballs, the secret to this recipe is to add ground sausage to the beef mixture; this adds tons of flavor without the need for a lot of other seasonings.
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 50 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Italian Wedding Soup Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
- 2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 lb 85 or 90% lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from the casings
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
FOR THE SOUP
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cups high-quality chicken broth (do not use low-sodium)
- 2 cups high-quality beef broth (do not use low-sodium)
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (okay to use black pepper)
- 1 cup small pasta such as dittalini
- 4 oz fresh spinach, stems trimmed and roughly chopped (once prepped, you should have about 3 packed cups)
- Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat 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) 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 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 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 stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender.
