Italian Wedding Soup
Despite the name, this isn’t served at weddings — the ‘marriage’ refers to the perfect union of tender meatballs, leafy greens, and a light, lemony broth.
Ingredients
- Meatballs: 1/2 lb (225g) ground pork, 1/2 lb (225g) ground beef, 1/3 cup breadcrumbs, 1 egg, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1/4 cup Parmesan (grated), 2 tbsp parsley, salt, pepper
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup acini di pepe or orzo pasta
- 4 cups escarole or baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan (grated), plus more for serving
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
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1
Make meatballs: Combine all meatball ingredients gently (don’t overwork). Roll into marble-sized balls (about 1 inch). You should get about 40.
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2
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large pot. Carefully drop meatballs into the broth. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
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3
Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped greens in the last 2 minutes.
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4
Beat the egg with lemon juice and Parmesan. While stirring the soup in a circular motion, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture. It will form silky ribbons (this is called stracciatella).
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5
Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if desired. Serve with extra Parmesan.
