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Italian Wedding Soup

This is comfort food at its best - tender meatballs, tiny pasta, and hearty greens in a rich broth. It's a one-pot meal that feeds a crowd and tastes even better the next day.
prep time:25 minutes
cook time:35 minutes
total time:1 hour
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Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 1/2 slices white bread ~1 cup, crusts removed and torn into small pieces
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp whole milk
  • 1 small yellow onion ~1/2 cup, grated
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • Pinch freshly-ground black pepper
  • 2/3 lb ground beef 85/15
  • 2/3 lb ground pork

Soup

  • 2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/4 cups diced yellow onion 1/4 inch dice
  • 1 1/4 cups diced carrot 1/4 inch dice
  • 1 cup diced celery 1/4 inch dice
  • 15 cups chicken broth
  • 1 large Parmigiano Reggiano rind
  • 1 cup dried acini di pepe pasta
  • 1 1/4 lbs escarole washed well and roughly chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Combine torn bread and milk in large bowl, let sit 5 minutes, then mash into smooth paste.
  • Stir in grated onion, egg, Pecorino Romano, parsley, salt, and pepper.
  • Add ground beef and pork, mixing just until combined.
  • Shape mixture into 3/4 inch meatballs using dampened hands.
  • Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown meatballs in batches, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to plate.
  • Drain all but 2 Tbsp fat, add diced carrot, onion, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook 6-8 minutes until softened.
  • Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Return meatballs and add Parmigiano rind.
  • Bring to boil and add acini di pepe pasta.
  • Reduce to simmer, partially cover, and cook 12-15 minutes until pasta is tender.
  • Remove and discard cheese rind.
  • Add chopped escarole and simmer uncovered 5 minutes until wilted.
  • Skim excess fat from surface, taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Serve hot with crusty bread and extra Parmesan.

Notes

Cook a small test portion of meatball mixture to check seasoning before shaping all meatballs.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you liked it below!