Spinach Italian Wedding Soup: A Hearty, Healthy Delight

Italian wedding soup is a hearty dish that combines meatballs, spinach, and pasta in a rich and savory broth. Despite its name, it is not typically served at Italian weddings. The name is derived from the Italian phrase minestra maritata, which means married soup, referring to the combination of meat and vegetables in the soup. This soup is perfect for a cold evening and can be made in bulk to be frozen for later.

Meatballs: Combine ground beef, pork, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Form into small meatballs

To make the meatballs for your Italian wedding soup, you'll need to combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Start by adding the ground beef and ground pork to a large mixing bowl. Then, add in the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Gently toss and break up the mixture with your hands to evenly coat and distribute the ingredients. Be careful not to overwork the meat. Next, shape the mixture into small meatballs, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch in diameter. The smaller the meatballs, the better, as this is soup, not a bowl of pasta. This recipe should yield around 35 meatballs.

Once you've shaped all the meatballs, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook until browned, turning them occasionally to brown on 2 or 3 sides. This should take about 4 minutes total. Transfer the meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels and repeat the process with the remaining meatballs. Note that the meatballs won't be fully cooked at this point, as they will continue cooking in the soup.

Browning the meatballs: Heat olive oil in a pan and brown the meatballs in batches

Browning the meatballs is an important step in making Italian wedding soup. It adds flavour to the dish and helps to build a rich broth. To do this, heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. You'll need enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

Once the oil is hot, add your meatballs in batches. You don't want to overcrowd the pan, so cook the meatballs in several batches if necessary. Use a spoon to turn the meatballs occasionally, so they brown evenly on 2 or 3 sides. This should take around 2-4 minutes per batch.

When the meatballs are browned, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.

Sautéing vegetables: Softening onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in a pot

Sautéing the vegetables is an important step in making Italian wedding soup. It helps to soften the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, and develops their flavours. Here is a detailed guide on how to do it:

Start by heating a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. You can add a splash more if needed during cooking. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and let them cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have softened. This step is crucial as it will help to develop the flavours of the soup and create a tasty base.

Once the vegetables are softened, it's time to add the garlic. Minced or pressed garlic can be used, and it should be cooked for about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the garlic, as it can turn bitter. At this point, you can also add some Italian seasoning or other spices to enhance the flavour.

After the garlic has cooked for a minute, you can proceed to the next step of making the soup by adding the chicken broth. If you want to add some extra flavour, you can first brown the meatballs in the same pot before softening the vegetables, which will create a tasty fond that will enhance the overall taste of the soup.

Simmering the soup: Add chicken broth to the vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add meatballs, pasta, and spinach

Now that you've sautéed your vegetables, it's time to start simmering the soup!

First, add 8 cups of chicken broth to the vegetables and bring the mixture to a boil. You can also add in some beef broth, water, and dry white wine for extra flavour. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat and add in your meatballs. You can either cook the meatballs separately beforehand and add them in now, or cook them directly in the soup.

Next, add in your pasta. It's recommended to cook the pasta separately to prevent it from absorbing too much broth, especially if you plan on storing leftovers. However, if you don't have leftovers, you can cook the pasta directly in the soup.

Finally, stir in the spinach. It only needs to be cooked for about 2 minutes, or until it's wilted.

And that's it! You've now got a pot of delicious Italian wedding soup. Don't forget to ladle it into serving bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Serving: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese

Now that your soup is ready, it's time to serve it! Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

If you're planning on storing the soup, it's best to cook the pasta separately and add it to the bowl before pouring in the soup. This ensures that the pasta doesn't absorb too much broth, especially during storage. You can also add more broth if you're going to eat the soup the next day, as the pasta will soak up a lot of the liquid.

This soup is best served hot with crusty, airy bread for dipping. It's a hearty and filling meal, perfect for a cold day or a satisfying lunch. Enjoy!

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