Description
A hearty and comforting Italian Wedding Soup featuring tender homemade meatballs, fresh vegetables, and small pasta in a flavorful chicken broth. This classic soup combines ground beef and pork sausage meatballs with nutritious greens for a complete meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 lb Ground beef
- 1/2 lb Pork sausage
- 1/4 cup chopped Fresh parsley
- 1 diced Medium carrot
- 2 cups chopped Fresh spinach or kale
- 1 cup Small pasta
- 6 cups Low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 minced Garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil for cooking
Instructions
- Form Meatballs: In a large bowl, mix ground beef, pork sausage, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper until just combined. Roll into one-inch meatballs and place on baking sheet.
- Brown Meatballs: In a large pot over medium heat, drizzle olive oil and brown meatballs on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Sauté diced carrots and garlic in the same pot until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Broth: Add chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
- Combine and Simmer: Stir in small pasta and greens along with browned meatballs. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
- Final Seasoning: Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the meatball mixture – this keeps them tender and prevents tough, dense meatballs that can ruin the soup’s texture
- Use a small cookie scoop to form uniform meatballs quickly, ensuring even cooking and professional presentation
- Brown meatballs in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding, which steams rather than browns and reduces flavor development
- Add pasta during the last 10 minutes to prevent overcooking and mushy texture that can make the soup unappetizing
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 385 calories
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: Italian Wedding Soup, meatball soup, comfort food, Italian recipe, homemade soup, acini di pepe, spinach soup