Hearty Italian Wedding Soup, Giada-Style

Italian Wedding Soup is a delicious and comforting dish, and celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis has her own take on this classic recipe. Her version includes a blend of ground beef and pork meatballs, combined with a variety of flavours and spices, and slow-cooked to perfection. The soup is a hearty and satisfying meal, perfect for those looking for a taste of Italy. In this paragraph, we will explore the ingredients and methods used to create this mouth-watering soup, and provide a step-by-step guide to making it at home.

Meatballs: Combine ingredients, shape into balls, and bake

To make the meatballs, start by gathering and preparing the ingredients. You'll need a large bowl, a baking sheet, and the following:

• 1 small onion, grated
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, and torn into small pieces
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 ounces each of ground beef and ground pork

First, stir the onion, parsley, garlic, bread, and Parmesan cheese together in the large bowl until they are well-blended. Then, add in the ground beef and pork, stirring to combine all the ingredients evenly.

Now, it's time to shape the meat mixture into meatballs. Use about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mixture for each meatball, rolling them between your palms to form balls with a diameter of about 1 inch. Place the shaped meatballs on the baking sheet as you go.

Once all the meatballs are shaped, they're ready to be baked. However, the specific baking instructions are not provided in the sources. Typically, meatballs are baked in a preheated oven at 350-400°F (180-200°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.

At this point, your meatballs should be ready to be added to your Italian wedding soup, following Giada's recipe.

Soup: Boil broth, add meatballs and greens, then stir in egg mixture

To make the soup, pour the broth into a large pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the broth is boiling, add the meatballs and greens (curly endive or escarole). Simmer the meatballs and greens for about 8 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the greens are tender.

While the meatballs and greens are cooking, prepare the egg mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and cheese until well blended. Once the meatballs and greens are done, stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork. This will create thin strands of egg in the soup. Continue stirring the soup and drizzling in the egg mixture for about 1 minute.

Finally, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. If desired, you can finish the soup with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

This recipe is for Italian Wedding Soup, courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. It includes meatballs made with ground beef and pork, and a broth-based soup with greens and an egg and cheese mixture. The soup is hearty and flavourful, and the slow-cooked version results in ultra-tender meatballs and a super flavorful broth.

Ingredients: Onion, parsley, garlic, bread, Parmesan, beef, and pork

Giada De Laurentiis' Italian Wedding Soup recipe includes onion, parsley, garlic, bread, Parmesan, beef, and pork as ingredients. Here's a detailed breakdown of these ingredients and their role in the recipe:

Onion, Parsley, and Garlic: These ingredients form the flavourful base of the dish. One small onion is grated to release its juices and provide a subtle sweetness. Fresh Italian parsley, known for its aromatic flavour, is chopped to enhance the taste of the soup. Minced garlic adds a pungent kick to the mix.

Bread: A single slice of fresh white bread is used, with its crust trimmed and the bread torn into small pieces. This adds texture and helps bind the meatball mixture.

Parmesan: Grated Parmesan cheese is blended into the meat mixture, adding a salty, nutty flavour to the meatballs. Additionally, Parmesan can be used as a garnish, adding a creamy texture and extra flavour to the finished soup.

Beef and Pork: The recipe calls for equal amounts of ground beef and ground pork, typically 8 ounces each. These meats are combined with the other ingredients to create juicy, flavourful meatballs.

These ingredients come together to form the foundation of the Italian Wedding Soup, contributing to its unique taste and texture.

Seasoning: Salt and pepper to taste, plus extra Parmesan

When it comes to seasoning, Giada De Laurentiis' Italian Wedding Soup recipe calls for salt and pepper to taste, with the option of extra Parmesan cheese. This means you can adjust the seasoning according to your preference. Start by adding a small amount of salt and pepper, then taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. Remember that you can always add more, but it's difficult to correct an overseasoned dish.

Salt enhances the flavour of the dish, bringing out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes and balancing the other flavours in the soup. It is best to use fine sea salt or kosher salt, as their texture makes them easy to dissolve in the soup. If using table salt, use less than the amount of sea salt or kosher salt specified in the recipe, as it has a finer texture and a stronger salty taste.

Freshly ground black pepper adds a subtle heat and sharpness to the soup. It is best to grind whole peppercorns yourself, as pre-ground pepper can be less flavourful and may not have the same aroma. Adjust the amount of pepper to your taste, adding more if you prefer a spicier soup.

Parmesan cheese, or Parmigiano Reggiano, is a hard Italian cheese with a nutty, savoury flavour. It is used in the meatball mixture and can also be added at the end as a garnish. Grate the cheese fresh, as pre-grated Parmesan can be dry and less flavourful. When seasoning the soup, add a small amount of grated Parmesan at a time, tasting as you go, until you reach your desired level of cheesiness.

Remember that the amount of seasoning you use may vary depending on your personal preference and the specific ingredients you are using. Always taste your soup as you season it to ensure you don't overdo it.

Slow cooker method: Combine ingredients and cook on high

To make Italian wedding soup in a slow cooker, first pour 6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth into your slow cooker and add a bay leaf. In a separate bowl, combine 1 beaten egg, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons of dried breadcrumbs. Use a rubber spatula to mix these ingredients, then add 3/4 pound of ground beef sirloin and mix well with your hands.

Shape the meat mixture into small, 1-teaspoon-sized meatballs and place them into the broth in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and set it to high for 4 hours. After 4 hours, stir in 1 cup of short pasta, such as ditaloni or elbow macaroni. Replace the lid and continue to cook on high for an additional 30 minutes.

Once the pasta is cooked, remove the lid and stir in 2 1/2 ounces of roughly chopped baby spinach until it is wilted. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

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