Warm Up With Italian Wedding Soup

It’s fall and we’re crying out for some good soups, stews, and one-pot recipes that provide filling, nutritious meals. As the weather turns cooler there’s just something immensely satisfying about those kinds of comfort foods. Take Italian wedding soup, for instance. Now, this isn’t a celebratory soup — although eating it can certainly feel like a joy. The “wedding” in this case is how the flavors of the meatballs, pasta, and spinach marry together to create something truly delicious. We found our favorite recipe for the dish, and we know you’ll love it too.

What You’ll Need

If you want to make the meatballs by hand, we’re here for that. (Of course, we’re not going to spill if you use pre-made meatballs. Your secret’s safe with us!) But if you’re aiming for authenticity, here’s what you’ll need for the meatballs:

• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ lb 85- or 90% lean ground beef
• ½ lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from the casings
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• ⅓ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• ¼ teaspoon salt

And for the soup itself, here are the ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 6 cups high-quality chicken broth (do not use low-sodium)
• 2 cups high-quality beef broth (do not use low-sodium)
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper (OK to use black pepper)
• 1 cup small pasta such as dittalini
• 4 oz fresh spinach, stems trimmed and roughly chopped (once prepped, you should have about 3 packed cups)
• Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving

Follow the Steps

The linked recipe tells you exactly how to combine and cook the meatball ingredients as well as create the delicious soup. One of the best things about Italian wedding soup is that in the unlikely event of leftovers, this dish has flavors that continue to combine (“marry”) in the fridge overnight. Warm some up for the next day’s lunch or dinner, and you’ll get to experience Italian wedding soup on a whole new level! Try this recipe out and let us know how you like it!

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