Italian Wedding Soup
April is a very interesting month in terms of the weather. One day, the temperature seems to be on the right track, nice and warm but the following day, we don’t know what happened; it’s cold, windy and gray… yuck! There are even some snow storms that may occur in April. Until the temperature settles down to a comforting level and we no longer have to wear winter jackets, scarves and boots, I still make hot and delicious soups…
I have an incredible selection of recipes to choose from; West Coast Smoked Salmon Chowder, Slow Cooker Beef Barley, Broccoli Cheddar, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Cream of Mushroom, etc. Another one I enjoy making often is my Italian Wedding Soup! This is an amazing one to add to your folder! With meatballs added to a nice broth with vegetables, pasta and seasonings, this is a soup your family will love!
Where does the name come from?
Although the title suggests it, there’s nothing to do with an actual dish served at weddings. “Minestra maritana” (married soup) refers to the combination of flavors from the meat and vegetables coming together… like a happy marriage! It’s an easy recipe and a little time consuming when making the meatballs. My chosen proteins are beef and my homemade Hot Italian Sausage. The two blended together give it so much flavorful. I prefer not using breadcrumbs and make a quick mixture of warm milk and day-old bread torn into pieces.
When it comes to adding cheese in the meat, I use Grana Padano. I also like to sprinkle some on as a garnish. Parmigiano Reggiano or even Pecorino can be a delicious substitute. Very soon, I’ll have a kitchen tips & tricks episode on the differences between certain cheeses in the “grana” family so stay tuned…
To portion the meatballs, I use my Zeroll Plum Scoop which is about 2 tsp. when rounded. What we’re looking for is to make them about 1-inch in diameter – keep in mind that this is a soup not a pasta dish with meatballs. I usually end up with 54 meatballs give or take. I cook them in the oven for about 16 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned.
Pasta is another ingredient in this dish and the best ones to use for this Italian Wedding Soup are the smallest like ditalini, acini di pepe, orzo, farfalline, and tubettini. I cook them for about 4 minutes before adding the cooked meatballs and the spinach which is another 4 to 5 minutes of cooking time or until the spinach is wilted.
I love spinach and have a lot of recipes using it like Gnudi aka Malfatti, Oysters Rockefeller, Spanakopita, Veal Florentine, Pumpernickel Spinach Dip, Pear Pomegranate Blue Cheese Salad, Creamed Spinach – Steakhouse Style, and many more. I buy the Popeye® brand that comes in a bag. They’re already in small pieces so I don’t have to chop or trim the stems.
Before the temperature warms up and you switch from hot to cold soup recipes, treat yourself to this delicious Italian Wedding Soup! It’s a great comfort food to enjoy this season…
Bon Appétit!
Check out these other amazing soup recipes…
– Turkey Noodle Soup
– Bay Scallop Chowder
– Split Pea & Ham Soup
– Minestrone Soup
– French Onion Soup Gratinée
– Corn Chowder
and for even more soup recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Soups & Chowders
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Italian Wedding Soup
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Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 1/3 cup milk, lukewarm
- 2 slices bread, torn into small pieces
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed see Recipe
- 1 large free-range egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup Grana Padano cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped tips & tricks
- 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 1/2 tbsp. Italian seasoning see Recipe
- 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
SOUP
- 2 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 2 cups white onions, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced tips & tricks
- 1 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt, or to taste and divided
- 1 large clove garlic, pressed
- 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 cup ditalini rigati pasta
- 4 cups fresh spinach, stems trimmed and roughly chopped if needed
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- 1/4 cup grated Grana Padano cheese, or as needed for garnish
Directions
MEATBALLS
- In a small pot over medium heat, add milk and heat it until just warm.
- Add bread pieces to the pot and stir until the milk is all absorbed.
- Transfer to a bowl to cool off.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with foil. Place a rack over and spray it generously with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl, add beef, hot Italian sausage, beaten egg, cheese, parsley, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper and the bread mixture. With clean hands, mix the ingredients until very well combined.
- Roll the meat mixture into small meatballs, about ¾-inch to 1-inch and place them on the prepared rack.
- Transfer them to the preheated oven and bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
SOUP
- Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add chicken and beef broth, wine, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil.
- Add pasta, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- A few minutes before the pasta is done, add the meatballs and spinach. Stir, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted; taste and adjust if necessary.
- Stir in lemon juice before ladling the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle on some grated cheese.
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