Italian Wedding Soup
Italian Wedding Soup with tender meatballs, tiny pasta, spinach, parmesan, and lemon zest. Cozy, fast (45 minutes or less), and meal-prep friendly.
Servings 6 Servings
Ingredients
Baked Meatballs
- 8 oz ground beef
- 8 oz ground Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup dry breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 tbsp minced fresh basil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅔ cup chicken stock
Soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped carrots about 3 medium carrots
- 1 cup minced yellow onion about 1 medium onion
- ⅔ cup chopped celery
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups chicken stock
- ¾ cup acini di pepe or other small pasta like orzo
- 1 handful baby spinach chopped
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 small fresh lemon zested
Instructions
Baked Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or 1 tbsp olive oil. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, ground sausage, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix until well incorporated.
- Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to make about 40 meatballs. Lightly roll into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Soup
- In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, carrots, onions, and celery. Saute until softened and onions are translucent. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken stock, pasta, and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a slight boil and cook until pasta is al dente. Add the meatballs and any juices that accumulated on the baking sheet. Lower temperature to low.
- Simmer until meatballs are warmed through. Add spinach and lemon zest, stirring to combine.
- Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and more lemon zest, if desired.
Notes
Tips for storing
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Pasta swells in broth. For best texture, cook pasta separately and add to each bowl.
- Reheat on the stove over medium heat. Add a splash of stock or water to loosen.
- Freeze up to 3 months. Freeze without pasta for the best result.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently and add fresh spinach if you want a brighter finish.
Nutrition
Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1167mg | Potassium: 811mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 4427IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 4mg
