Italian Wedding Soup
We’re in the thick of a bitterly cold spell on the East Coast, but I’m secretly delighted by all of the hot soups and comfort foods we’ve been eating. Also, Madeleine and I have been sick for a week, so the cold weather makes hibernating indoors a little more bearable (no pun intended). Freezing temperatures plus sore throats equal chicken soup, right? So today, I’m sharing my favorite version of chicken soup—Italian Wedding Soup with Chicken Meatballs!
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve undoubtedly seen me make this at least four times since October. I can’t get enough of it. And possibly the best part is that Madeleine will eat the meatballs right out of the oven, before they even go into the soup! It’s hard to get her to eat a lot of meat, so that always feels like a win.
The soup is full of tender vegetables—we’re talking carrots, celery, onion, and spinach—and the meatballs feature ground chicken AND chicken sausage, plus lots of garlic and cheese, which means they’re full of flavor. What’s more, once the meatballs are simmering in the soup, they become tender and lend a cheesy, garlicky flavor to the broth, marrying the flavors beautifully. In all honesty, I believe this soup has healing properties, but if nothing else, it will nourish your body when it needs it most and warm your bones in the dead of January.
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Italian Wedding Soup
adapted from Ina Garten
Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40-60 minutes
Ingredients for the meatballs:
16 ounces ground chicken
14 ounces chicken sausage, casings removed
1 cup bread crumbs
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped parsley
¾ cup grated Pecorino Romano
4 tablespoons milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients for the soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced in ¼ inch pieces
10 cups chicken stock
¾ cup dry white wine
2 cups ditalini
5 ounces baby spinach
Directions:
To make the meatballs, preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking tray with silpats or parchment paper. Place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl, plus ½ teaspoon pepper and ¾ teaspoon salt, and mix using a spatula or clean hands. Roll meat into 1-¼ inch balls and place them on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until deep golden brown and cooked through.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add the wine, cook for one minute, then add the broth. Bring the soup to a rapid boil, then lower the heat and allow it to simmer with the lid slightly askew for at least 30 minutes.
As the soup simmers, boil water in a small pot and cook ditalini separately.
When the meatballs are done, add them to the soup and allow them to simmer for a few minutes. Salt and pepper the broth to taste. (The meatballs will lend salt to the soup, so you might not need any!) Add the spinach, allowing it to wilt. Serve by adding ditalini to individual bowls, pour soup into the bowls, then top with heaps of Pecorino Romano.
