Italian Wedding Soup
This recipe crafts a comforting Italian Wedding Soup featuring delicate homemade chicken and sausage meatballs baked until golden. A flavorful broth, enriched with sautéed vegetables, pasta, and fresh dill, provides the perfect base. Finished with tender spinach and a sprinkle of Parmesan, it's a hearty and satisfying meal.
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For combining meatball ingredients
- 1 Sheet Pan For baking meatballs
- 1 Parchment Paper To line the sheet pan for easy cleanup and prevent sticking
- 1 Large heavy-bottomed soup pot Essential for even heat distribution and simmering the soup
- 1 Stirring spoon/ladle For sautéing and serving
Ingredients
Main
- 3/4 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 pound chicken sausage casings removed
- 2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cloves
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan plus extra for serving
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 extra-large egg lightly beaten
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 cup minced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrots 3 carrots, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 3/4 cup diced celery 2 stalks, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 10 cups homemade chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
- 1/4 cup minced fresh dill
- 12 ounces baby spinach washed and trimmed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
- In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.
Notes
For perfectly tender meatballs, avoid overmixing the meatball mixture, which can lead to a tough texture. Gently combine ingredients until just incorporated. To enhance the soup's depth, consider deglazing the pot with a splash of the white wine after sautéing the aromatics before adding the stock. For added freshness, a squeeze of lemon juice or a touch more fresh dill just before serving can brighten the flavors. Ensure your chicken stock is good quality; homemade will yield superior results. Cook the pasta al dente as it will continue to absorb liquid and cook slightly once added to the hot soup, preventing mushiness.