Italian Wedding Soup

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 25 minutes
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil

½ lb. ground beef (85% lean)

½ lb. ground pork

1 egg (beaten)

1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1/3 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 yellow onion (diced)

1 ¼ cups carrots (diced)

2 celery ribs (diced)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

8 cups chicken broth ()

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

¾ cup acini de pepe pasta (uncooked)

4-5 cups fresh spinach

salt/pepper (to taste)

Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)

Directions

Stove Top Method (See notes for Crock Pot & Instant Pot Methods)

Gently combine the meatball ingredients, don’t overwork the meat. Roll into 3/4-inch balls.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

Brown the meatballs in batches for about 2 minutes. The middle of the meatballs will finish cooking in the soup. Remove and set aside.

Add the onions, carrots, and celery and soften over medium heat for 6 minutes, until softened. Add a splash of olive oil during cooking if needed.

Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Add the cooked meatballs and simmer gently while you boil the pasta separately until al dente. Drain once cooked through and add the pasta to serving bowls. (Otherwise the pasta tends to absorb the broth during storage. If you don't anticipate leftovers, you can cook the pasta in the soup or add the cooked pasta to the pot of soup.)

Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve!

Nutrition

• Calories: 328 kcal
• Total Fat: 16 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
• Trans Fat: 0.1 g
• Cholesterol: 88 mg
• Sodium: 1755 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 24 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 23 g