Italian Wedding Soup
This Italian Wedding Soup is the ultimate comfort food, filled with tender homemade beef and sausage meatballs, fresh vegetables, and pasta in a rich, savory broth. Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and garlic bring incredible flavor to every spoonful, while cabbage and spinach add heartiness and freshness. Easy to make and perfect for feeding the whole family, this cozy, satisfying soup is just what you need on a chilly evening. Serve with crusty bread and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan for a delicious, comforting meal.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife
- Cutting Board
- Large soup pot or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
- Cheese grater
- Small pot for cooking pasta
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground sausage
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
- 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves removed, finely chopped
Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 ribs of celery diced
- 4 cups chopped cabbage
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2-3 cloves of garlic chopped
- 10 cups low sodium chicken broth stock, or water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chicken base/bouillon
- 4-5 cups fresh spinach
- 3 cups cooked short pasta
- Parmesan cheese to finish
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix all meatball ingredients and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a hot soup pot over medium heat. Add all the vegetables, except spinach, and begin to sweat them down.
- Roll the meatballs, making sure each is about 1 inch in diameter, then set aside. You should end up with 20-24 meatballs.
- Add the water or broth to the soup and season generously. Bring to a simmer. Add chicken base or bouillon.
- Drop the meatballs into the broth one at a time, and gently leave them to simmer. Do not stir for 5 minutes to allow meatballs to set, then stir gently.
- Add cooked pasta. Add the spinach and allow it to wilt.
- After the soup has simmered 25 minutes, ladle into bowls with grated Parmesan in the bottom. Add more Parmesan on top and enjoy!