Italian Wedding Soup

30 mins Prep Time

45 mins Cook Time

Written By

Vicky Tran

According to a few internet sources, Italian wedding soup originated from Naples and was initially called minestra maritata, which translates to "married soup," referring to the "marriage" or unity of the various ingredients. To many, it's the soup equivalent of a warm hug; with its comforting meat broth, pint-sized meatballs and andacini di pepe pasta, its hard not to instantly love. Many recipes call for the meatballs to be formed and cooked right in the broth but I'm not too fond of the way this causes impurities to rise to the surface of the broth, so I opt for a very quick and rather harsh broil in the oven. By broiling instead of boiling in the broth, the meatballs take on a beautiful brown colour and extra flavour from their exterior's caramelizing. When making soups or stews, I always like to recommend that a big batch be made because a soup like this eats like a meal and because it's never a bad idea to have enough extra to freeze for a rainy day.

Ingredients

Italian Wedding Soup

8 cups low sodium chicken stock
4 cups water
3 ribs celery, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
2 carrots, cut into quarters lengthwise and sliced
2 bunches spinach, chopped
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
250 grams acini di pepe pasta, cooked until al dente and drained

Meatballs

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano, grated (plus additional for topping)
1 slice white bread
2 eggs
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Italian Wedding Soup

4 Steps

Step 1

Tear the sliced bread into bite sized pieces and, using a food processor, buzz until it turns into breadcrumbs approximately the size of peppercorns. Set aside.
Step 2

In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, water, carrots, celery and onions, bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 20-30 minutes until vegetables soften.
Step 3

While the soup base is simmering, prepare the meatball mix. Combine the ground beef, ground pork, grated Parmigiana-Reggiano, fresh breadcrumbs, eggs, minced garlic cloves and chopped parsley, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Mix until just combined and begin forming meatballs approximately the size of a rounded teaspoon and place 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Broil the meatballs on high for 8-10 minutes until browned on top. Remove from the oven and immediately place into the simmering soup base along with any juices that have purged on the baking sheet.
Step 4

Add the chopped spinach as well as cooked acini de pepe pasta to the soup, adjust with salt and pepper. Serve with additional grated Parmigiana-Reggiano on top.