Italian wedding soup is a comfort food favorite in many households, and this recipe is packed with flavor. It is very easy to make. The little chicken meatballs are far from bland because they get a nice kick from Italian sausage. The pasta stretches the soup and makes it filling while the spinach adds color and nutrition. Serve with Italian bread and a salad for a hearty meal.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
- Meatballs:
- 3/4 pound ground chicken
- 2 mild Italian sausages, casings removed
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus additional to sprinkle over the soup
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 3 Tablespoons whole milk
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- .
- Soup:
- 8 ounces small pasta (small tube pasta, baby bow ties, or small shells)
- 4 quarts homemade or store-bought organic chicken broth
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 16 chives (garnish)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Combine the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, parsley, milk, and egg in a bowl. Mix well.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Using a teaspoon, drop meatballs onto the baking pan, spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 minutes, until lightly browned.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, rinse, and set aside.
Bring the chicken stock to a gentle boil. Add the cooked pasta. Add the meatballs, and simmer for 1 minute. Add the spinach and bring back up to a gentle boil. Cook for 1 minute. Taste for enough salt, and adjust the seasoning.
Ladle into warm bowls, sprinkle on plenty of Parmesan cheese, and garnish with chives.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Recipe Source: "Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love" by Cristina Ferrare (Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.)
Revised Italian Wedding Soup Recipe Photo © 2011 Todd Porter and Diane Cu, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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Combine the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, parsley, milk, and egg in a bowl. Mix well.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Using a teaspoon, drop meatballs onto the baking pan, spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake for 30 minutes, until lightly browned.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, rinse, and set aside.
Bring the chicken stock to a gentle boil. Add the cooked pasta. Add the meatballs, and simmer for 1 minute. Add the spinach and bring back up to a gentle boil. Cook for 1 minute. Taste for enough salt, and adjust the seasoning.
Ladle into warm bowls, sprinkle on plenty of Parmesan cheese, and garnish with chives.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Recipe Source: "Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love" by Cristina Ferrare (Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.)
Revised Italian Wedding Soup Recipe Photo © 2011 Todd Porter and Diane Cu, licensed to About.com, Inc.
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