Italian Wedding Soup
There are countless variations on this soup, which—contrary to popular belief, is named for the way the flavors of the greens and meat marry so well (and not for the occasions on which it is served). But go ahead—serve it at a wedding to symbolize the harmony you’ll experience in life together.
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1/2 pound ground sirloin
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 bunch escarole, torn into bite-size pieces
- 1/3 cup acini di pepe pasta
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
- For the meatballs, combine the ground sirloin, ground pork, cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl; mix well. Form the mixture into 36 meatballs.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add half the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 4-5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a plate covered with paper towel to drain. Add the remaining meatballs to the skillet and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
- For the soup, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7-8 minutes. Pour in the broth and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, add the escarole and pasta; simmer until greens are fairly tender, 10 minutes. Add the reserved meatballs, cover, return to a simmer and cook 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.