Italian Wedding Soup

Recipe by Catherine Pla, adapted from Ina Garten

Serves: 6-8

Italian Wedding Soup

This has got to be one of my most popular recipes. My family loves it, and it’s always a hit with friends for a casual dinner.

• 1 lb ground turkey or chicken

• 2⁄3 c fresh bread crumbs

• 2 T minced onion

• 3 t minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves)

• 1/4 c minced parsley

• 1 t dried oregano

• 1⁄4 t cayenne

• 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

• 3 T milk

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

• 2 T olive oil

• 1 c minced yellow onion

• 3⁄4 c diced carrots (about 2 medium)

• 3⁄4 c diced celery (about 2 large stalks)

• 8 c chicken broth

• 1/2 c dry white wine

• 1⁄2 c small pasta (I use orzo)

• 1/4 c minced fresh dill or parsley

• 8 oz fresh baby spinach or kale - trimmed and chopped

• extra Parmesan cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place ground meat, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, cayenne, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop small meatballs (I like them small, a scant teaspoon) onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper (you’ll make about 40 meatballs). Bake for 20-30 minutes depending on size, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large stock pot. Add onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth and wine and bring to a boil. Add pasta to the simmering broth and cook an additional 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill or parsley and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in spinach or kale and cook for 1 minute, until just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.