Crafting Hearty Italian Wedding Soup: A Traditional Recipe

Italian wedding soup is a hearty dish that combines meatballs, vegetables, and pasta in a flavoursome broth. Despite its name, it is not actually served at Italian weddings. The name comes from the Italian phrase minestra maritata, which means married soup, referring to the marriage of meat and vegetables in the soup.

To make this soup, you'll need to prepare meatballs, usually made with a combination of ground beef and pork, and a variety of vegetables such as carrots, celery, and onions. The soup also typically includes small pasta shapes such as acini di pepe or orzo.

The process of making Italian wedding soup involves searing the meatballs, sautéing the vegetables, and then combining them with broth and pasta. The soup is usually served with crusty bread or focaccia and garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Meatballs: combine beef, pork, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic

To make the meatballs for your Italian wedding soup, you'll need to combine beef and pork with breadcrumbs, parmesan, an egg, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Start by adding the beef and pork to a large mixing bowl. Then, add in the breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic. Gently toss and break up the mixture with your hands to evenly coat and distribute the ingredients.

Next, shape the mixture into very small meatballs, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch in diameter. Transfer the meatballs to a large plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You can use a small cookie scoop to make this process easier and more consistent.

At this point, you can place the meatballs in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the soup, or you can sear them in a skillet to add extra flavor. If you choose to sear 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 occasionally, for about 4 minutes total. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels and repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.

By following these steps, you'll create delicious and tender meatballs that are the perfect addition to your Italian wedding soup!

Vegetables: add carrots, celery, onion, and escarole

Preparing the vegetables is a crucial step in making a traditional Italian wedding soup. Here's a detailed guide to help you add carrots, celery, onion, and escarole to your soup:

Chopping the Vegetables:

Start by gathering fresh carrots, celery stalks, and a yellow or white onion. Wash and peel the carrots, and then chop them into small, uniform pieces. You can cut them into thin slices or dice them into small cubes, ensuring they are similar in size to the other vegetables. Next, chop the celery stalks into small pieces, similar in size to the carrots. As for the onion, peel it and chop it into small pieces as well. You can cut it into thin slices or dice it, whichever you prefer.

Sautéing the Vegetables:

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil or extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped carrots, celery, and onion to the pot. Sauté these vegetables together, stirring occasionally, until they soften. This process should take around 6 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn.

Adding Escarole:

After the carrots, celery, and onion have softened, it's time to add the escarole. Escarole is a type of bitter green leaf vegetable commonly used in Italian Wedding Soup. Wash and chop the escarole into bite-sized pieces. Add the escarole to the pot and continue cooking for a few more minutes, usually around 3 minutes. If you prefer to use spinach instead of escarole, add it during the last few minutes of cooking, as it cooks faster.

Flavoring the Vegetables:

During the sautéing process, you can enhance the flavor of the vegetables by adding some minced or pressed garlic. Add the garlic to the pot and sauté for an additional minute or until you can smell the fragrant aroma of garlic. This step adds a delightful depth of flavor to the soup.

Quantity Recommendations:

The amount of vegetables you use can vary depending on your preference and the number of servings you're making. As a guide, for a soup that serves four to six people, you'll need around 1 to 1 1/4 cups of chopped carrots, 3/4 cup to 1 cup of chopped onion, and 3/4 cup to 1 cup of chopped celery. For the escarole, 4 to 8 cups chopped should be sufficient. Adjust the quantities based on your desired vegetable-to-broth ratio and personal taste.

Remember to follow the rest of the recipe's instructions for making Italian Wedding Soup, including preparing the meatballs, adding broth, and cooking the pasta. Enjoy your delicious, vegetable-rich Italian Wedding Soup!

Broth: use chicken broth

To make the broth for Italian wedding soup, you'll need chicken broth. You can use homemade chicken broth or chicken base to make a stock. You'll need 5 cans of low-sodium chicken broth or 10-12 cups of chicken stock.

First, heat a large pot to medium heat with extra virgin olive oil, then add the onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté until soft (about 7-10 minutes). Then, add the chopped escarole and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. If you're using spinach instead of escarole, wait until the last few minutes of cooking to add it.

Next, add the chicken stock or broth and the parmesan rind to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

After that, add the meatballs and simmer for 3 minutes. Finally, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Once the pasta is done, remove the pot from the heat and serve with grated cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Pasta: add acini de pepe or orzo

Pasta: Acini de Pepe or Orzo

Acini de Pepe is the pasta traditionally used in Italian wedding soup. It is a tiny, round-shaped pasta, similar in appearance to peppercorns. However, if you are unable to find it, you can easily substitute it with orzo, or any other small pasta such as stellini, ditalini, or tubetti.

The amount of pasta you add is up to you, but it is recommended to keep it to a minimum as this soup is not meant to be a big bowl of pasta. One recipe suggests using one cup of dry acini de pepe or orzo pasta, while another suggests using half a cup of uncooked acini de pepe.

If you are planning on storing or freezing the soup, it is best to cook the pasta separately and add it to the soup as you eat it, as the pasta will continue to absorb the broth as it sits.

Seasoning: use fresh herbs, salt, and pepper

Seasoning is key to making a delicious Italian wedding soup. Here are some tips to enhance the flavour of your soup with fresh herbs, salt, and pepper:

Fresh Herbs

Using fresh herbs will add incredible flavour to your Italian wedding soup, especially when used in the meatballs. The most commonly used herbs in this soup are parsley and oregano. However, you can also experiment with other herbs like basil or thyme. Fresh herbs are preferred over dried herbs as they provide a more intense flavour.

Salt

Salt is essential for bringing out the flavours in your soup. It is recommended to season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. You can also use salted ingredients, such as chicken broth or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, which will add a savoury note to your soup.

Pepper

Pepper will enhance the flavour of your soup and give it a subtle kick. You can use freshly ground black pepper or opt for a pepper blend, such as an Oregano Sea Salt Blend, to add extra depth of flavour.

Remember, seasoning is a personal preference, so adjust the amounts of salt and pepper to suit your taste. It is always better to start with a smaller amount and gradually add more to ensure you don't overpower the other flavours in the soup.

Frequently asked questions