This time of year, there is something so gloriously comforting about a hot, hearty bowl of soup. I only started making this a few months ago, but it has quickly become one of my favourites. It’s tasty, it’s hearty, and it warms you up right from the very centre.
Italian wedding soup is super easy to make. Now, I am self-taught, so it probably departs a little from the traditional Italian wedding soup (I have an Oma, not a Nona, but man do I make a mean schnitzel!), but I promise that this soup is GOOD. You’re going to need about 12 cups of chicken broth, 1 lb of ground chicken or turkey, 6 oz of spinach (traditional recipes call for escarole or curly endive, but I use spinach or kale all the time, so take your pick), 4 eggs, and 1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. That’s it.
Start with your meatballs. Put 1 lb of ground chicken or turkey into your bowl, along with 3/4 cups of breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, and 1/2 tsp granulated garlic. Combine by hand until the mixture is uniform. I ended up needing a little more breadcrumb than I had in the past – I guess my turkey was a little more moist than usual. In any case, you want the meat to hold together when you roll it into meatballs. Speaking of meatballs, roll your meatballs and place them onto a lined baking sheet. The size is up to you. I keep them small, for mouthability (yes, that is a word), and because they expand in the broth as they cook.
Get your 12 cups of chicken broth boiling in a large pot, and add the meatballs one by one. Simmer them for at least 5-10 minutes first – we want to make sure they are cooked all the way through and that all of the bacteria associated with ground meats is nice and dead.
If you are so inclined – today I was – you can add some pasta to the soup at this point. Be wary of how much you add, as it will soak up broth! If you’re not sure, cook the pasta separately and add to individual bowls before adding the rest of the soup. Tip: Israeli couscous is KILLER in this soup, you just need to add it towards the end so it doesn’t turn into sludge. Beat two eggs in a bowl. While stirring the soup, slowly pour in the beaten eggs.
We are near the end! Add your 6 oz of spinach into the soup, mix, and cover for about 2 minutes – simmer the soup to wilt the spinach.
Serve and consume in copious amounts! Parmesan cheese on top is added deliciousness. Let us know how you like it – get in touch with us in the comments section! 🙂 we love hearing from readers!!!
RECIPE
Italian Wedding Soup
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes minutes
Ingredients:
- Meatballs
1 lb ground chicken or turkey
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp granulated garlic - Soup
12 cups chicken broth
2 eggs, beaten
6 oz spinach or other green
Optional: approx. 1 cup pasta (e.g. ditali, Israeli couscous) – if you’re using really small pasta, a whole cup of it will soak up a lot of broth. Consider cooking and adding it separately, OR compensate in your soup with more broth.
Directions:
- Put 12 cups of chicken broth in a large pot and set to boil.
- Mix 1 lb ground chicken or turkey with 3/4 cups breadcrumbs, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, and 1/2 tsp granulated garlic.
- Roll small meatballs by hand. Set aside on lined baking tray.
- Place meatballs in boiling broth. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Optional: add 1 cup pasta
- Beat 2 eggs. Stir broth and meatballs continuously, pouring the beaten egg into the soup slowly in a thin stream.
- Add 6 oz spinach or other green (e.g. escarole, curly endive) to the soup, stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.
- ENJOY 🙂
Pretending To Adult 