Italian Wedding Soup with Mini Meatballs

Why you’ll love it

• Tender, juicy mini meatballs in every spoonful.
• Family-friendly and complete: meat, pasta and vegetables in one bowl.
• Freezer-friendly: make a double batch of meatballs for later.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the mini meatballs

• 8 oz (225 g) ground beef (85% lean)
• 8 oz (225 g) ground pork
• 1/3 cup (25 g) fine dry breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup (30 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 cups (2.4 L) low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup (130 g) acini di pepe or orzo pasta
• 5 oz (140 g) fresh baby spinach (or chopped escarole)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

To serve

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Crusty bread

Step-by-step method

1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Mix the meatballs. In a bowl, combine the beef, pork, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, milk, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until evenly combined; overmixing makes them tough.

3. Shape and bake. Roll the mixture into 3/4-inch (2 cm) balls (about 1 teaspoon each; you will get 45 to 50) and arrange them on the baking sheet. Bake 10–12 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through.

4. Cook the vegetables. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

5. Boil the broth and pasta. Pour in the broth, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and cook at a lively simmer 8–9 minutes (or according to the package), until almost tender, stirring now and then so it does not stick.

6. Add the meatballs. Add the baked meatballs and simmer 5 minutes so they absorb some of the broth.

7. Wilt the greens and serve. Stir in the spinach and cook 1–2 minutes, just until wilted. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan.

How to know it is done

The soup is ready when the meatballs are cooked through with no pink inside (160°F / 71°C), the carrots are tender when pierced with a fork, the pasta is soft but not mushy and the spinach is bright green and just wilted.

Tips for the best result

• Use a small cookie scoop or a teaspoon to portion the meatballs so they are all the same size and cook evenly.
• Wet your hands lightly while rolling so the mixture does not stick.
• Add the spinach right before serving; it overcooks quickly and loses its color.
• If you plan to have leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl so it does not soak up all the broth.

Variations and substitutions

• All chicken or turkey: use 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken or turkey for the meatballs and add 1 tbsp olive oil to the mix.
• Sausage meatballs: replace the pork with mild Italian sausage, casings removed.
• Classic greens: use chopped escarole or kale instead of spinach; simmer kale 5 minutes.
• Egg ribbons: whisk 2 eggs with 2 tbsp Parmesan and drizzle into the simmering soup at the end, stirring gently.
• Gluten-free: use gluten-free breadcrumbs and small gluten-free pasta or 1/2 cup white rice.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; the pasta will keep absorbing broth, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating. To freeze, cool the soup without the pasta and spinach and freeze up to 3 months; add freshly cooked pasta and spinach when reheating. Reheat in a pot over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until steaming.