Italian Wedding Soup
This soup is hearty, delicious and nutritious! Fresh grated parmesan makes it amazing!
Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan
1 large egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp oil (I use avocado)
1 1/4 cup 1/4-inch diced carrots
1 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
3/4 cup 1/4-inch diced celery
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
9 cups of fresh chicken broth
1 cup dry acini de pepe pasta
6oz fresh spinach (chopped)
Freshly grated parmesan (for serving)
Instructions:
For the meatballs:
Add beef and pork to a large mixing bowl. Add in bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, parmesan egg, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
Gently toss and break up mixture with hands to evenly coat and distribute. Shape mixture into very small meatballs, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch and transfer to a large plate.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook until browned, turning occasionally (to brown on 2 or 3 sides), about 4 minutes total.
Transfer meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels while leaving oil in skillet. Repeat process with remaining meatballs (note that meatballs won’t be cooked through at this point, they’ll continue to cook through in the soup).
For the soup:
While the meatballs are browning, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onions, and celery and sauté until veggies have softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer.
Pour in chicken broth, season soup with salt and pepper to taste and bring mixture to a boil. Add in pasta and meatballs, reduce heat to a light boil (about medium/medium-low).
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender and meatballs have cooked through, about 10 minutes, while adding in spinach during the last minute of cooking. Serve warm, sprinkle each serving with parmesan cheese.