Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg
- 2 Tablespoons milk
For the Soup
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 sticks celery, chopped
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 1/2 cup uncooked pasta (ancini de pepe, ditalini, orzo)
Instructions
- To make the meatballs: combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into 1 inch balls, and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Sear the meatballs, about 2 minutes per side. Set aside.
- If needed, add a little more oil, and turn the heat down to medium. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Stir in the chicken stock, Italian seasoning, and add meatballs back in.
- Bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in pasta, and cook an additional 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach, and cover to let wilt for 5 minutes.
- Serve with fresh pepper, parmesan cheese, and crushed red pepper.
Notes
If using frozen meatballs, skip the searing step and just add in with chicken stock.
If freezing the soup, I recommend cooking the pasta on the side, and adding to the soup when reheating.