My favorite soup EVER: brothy Italian wedding soup filled with the most delicious mini meatballs and comforting, savory flavors
When I say I could eat this for every meal for the rest of my life, I mean it. There’s nothing cozier or more nourishing than a big bowl of soup on a chilly evening, and this one is packed with little pasta noodles, mini meatballs, and loads of Parmesan. I mean… how could I resist????
This is a classic recipe, it’s pretty simple. You make meatballs using your ground meat of choice, some fresh herbs and seasonings, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan. Your soup starts with the best aromatics: celery, onions, carrots, and garlic. Sauté those until softened, add your broth and pasta, let the pasta cook, and finish it up. Super easy!! I think everyone could agree that this is a top tier soup.. take my word for it. My best tip here is to serve with loads of freshly grated Parmesan.
Full recipe is below, enjoy!!
For the meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken, beef, turkey, or pork
1 egg
1/2 cup Parmigiano reggiano, freshly grated
1/3 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
3 tbsp basil, finely chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Olive oil, for forming meatballs
Add all ingredients to a bowl and combine until everything is incorporated into the meat. Use a bit of olive oil on your hands and roll out the meatballs - about 40-50 meatballs total (sounds like a lot but it goes by really fast!!)
You can either bake the meatballs (my preferred method for when I’m short on time) but most prefer to cook them in the same pan for the additional flavor from the meatballs to simmer into the soup. To bake, just cook them in a 400F oven until browned. Alternatively, heat your Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and add a layer of meatballs to the pan, making sure not to overcrowd them. Cook until browned on each side, about 5 minutes total, and repeat until all meatballs are cooked. Remove and set meatballs aside .
For the soup:
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
2-3 celery ribs, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt + more to taste
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
8 cups broth (preferably freshly made bone broth)
2 bay leaves
1 cup ditalini, orzo, or other short cut pasta of choice
5oz baby spinach, roughly torn or chopped
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the same pot you cooked the meatballs in over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, sauté until fragrant, about another 2 minutes. Add in Italian seasoning and salt, stir again.
Add broth and bay leaves and bring to a gentle boil medium-high and add pasta. Add meatballs. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until pasta is cooked through. Stir in spinach until wilted. Once finished, remove bay leaves and add more salt + lots of freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Serve with lots of freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of parsley. You can also serve with some crusty bread if you’d like. Enjoy!!!!
Just looking at the soup makes me want to make it again for dinner tonight!!! It’s so delicious. I hope you love it as much as I do <3
With love,
Abigail