Description
This Italian Wedding Soup combines juicy meatballs, fresh vegetables, and tender pasta in a flavorful broth. It can be prepared traditionally or using a Crock Pot for easy cooking.
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
½ lb. ground beef, 85% lean
½ lb. ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
⅓ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 yellow onion, diced
1 ¼ cups carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
¾ cup acini de pepe pasta, uncooked
4-5 cups fresh spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (to garnish)
Instructions
1. In a bowl, combine ground beef, ground turkey, beaten egg, Italian breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well and form into small meatballs.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
3. In the Crock Pot, add diced onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and chicken broth.
4. Place the browned meatballs into the Crock Pot with the vegetables and broth.
5. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
6. If preferred, cook acini de pepe pasta separately and add to individual servings to prevent sogginess. Alternatively, add uncooked pasta to the Crock Pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking on low.
7. Stir in fresh spinach and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes.
8. Serve hot, garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Cook pasta separately to keep it firm if you plan leftovers.
Meatballs can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.
Use low sodium chicken broth to control salt content.
Spinach can be substituted with kale or Swiss chard.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (high) or 8 hours (low)
- Category: Soup
- Method: Crock Pot, stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg