Italian Wedding Soup
A whole some and flavour packed soup that combines all the mediterranean flavours in one compact, nourishing dish.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Course Soup
Cuisine Mediterranean
Equipment
- Soup pot
- chopping board, knife
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 250 gr ground chicken or turkey (use pork alternatively)
- 250 gr ground ground chicken or turkey sausage (use pork alternatively)
- 1/4 gr breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (dried oregano, thyme, basil, parsley ,garlic, chili flakes)
- salt & pepper for seasoning
For the soup:
- 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin (EVO)
- 1/4 cup onion (chopped)
- 3 carrots (large, chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 10 cups chicken stock
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup acini di pepe pasta (uncooked) use orzo pasta or small pasta pieces alternatively
- 4 cups spinach (fresh, chopped) use kale, Swiss chard or zucchini instead
- 1/2 cup parmesan (grated or shaved) Grana Padano or any hard-cheese of choice alternatively
Instructions
To make the meatballs
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the ground chicken, chicken sausage, bread crumbs, egg, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Stir until combined.Roll into one inch meatballs making about 25-30. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large saucepan or soup pot. I use cast iron for an extra rich flavour.Heat the oil over medium heat, then add the meatballs and fry on all sides, stirring occasionally (approx 5 min)Meanwhile, line a paper plate with kitchen paper towel to remove any excess fat. (optional)Once browned, remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate and set a side.
To make the soup
- Add the remaining olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the soup pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add in the chicken stock, pasta and meatballs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and pasta is tender. Stir in spinach and allow to wilt. Season with salt and pepper and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
Serve with fresh crunchy bread or crunchy home-made rustic grissini.