Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 250 g lean ground beef
• 250 g ground pork
• 40 g fresh white bread crumbs
• 15 g chopped fresh parsley
• 1.2 g minced fresh oregano
• 50 g finely shredded parmesan
• 1 large egg
• 15 ml olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Soup

• 15 ml olive oil
• 190 g chopped carrots
• 190 g chopped yellow onion
• 75 g chopped celery
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 l chicken broth
• 165 g dry acini di pepe or orzo pasta
• 170 g fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
• Finely shredded Parmesan, for serving

Directions

Meatballs

1. Mix: In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper.
2. Shape: Gently mix by hand until just combined. Form very small meatballs (~1") and place on a plate.
3. Brown: Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Brown half the meatballs, turning to color 2-3 sides, about 4 minutes total.
4. Repeat: Transfer browned meatballs to a rack to rest. Repeat with remaining meatballs, they will finish cooking in the soup.

Soup

1. Cook Mirepoix: While meatballs brown, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high. Sauté carrots, onions, and celery until softened, about 6-8 minutes). Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Build Soup: Add chicken broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and meatballs; reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Simmer: Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender and meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add spinach during the last minute.
4. Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.

Chef's Notes

• If you have a Parmesan rind, add it to the soup while it simmers for extra depth and savory flavor. Remove before serving.
• Fresh ingredients are best, but if needed you can substitute 30 g dry breadcrumbs, 0.75 g dried oregano, and 20 g dried Parmesan.