Name: Italian Wedding Soup
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: MEATBALLS:; 2 lbs ground beef; 1/2 cup fresh spinach (minced); 1/2 cup fresh parsley (minced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 large egg; 1/2 cup breadcrumbs; 1-1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; SOUP:; 3 cups sliced carrots; 3 cups peeled and diced parsnips; 1 large onion (finely diced); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 can (28 oz Italian-style diced tomatoes); 6 cups chicken broth; 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta; 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley; Salt and pepper to taste

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This hearty, Italian-style stew is chock-full of tender veggies, lots of orzo pasta, and the most tender meatballs ever in a rich, flavorful broth.–A perfect Sunday dinner with warm bread!

So. Just when you think that the last of the snow is going-going-ALMOST-GONE what happens? We get dumped on with about another foot of the white stuff this past weekend.

Once again my hopes and dreams of ever seeing green grass again were shattered by a blanket of white. YAY.

Okay, I won’t gripe too much. I get the feeling that I’m annoying when I complain about the weather but still….I think the groundhog is gonna be seeing his shadow in Wisconsin for awhile. Just sayin’

And until he doesn’t, I plan to just keep my face firmly planted in a bowlful of this soup. #coping.

Okay, so Italian food. I’m clearly obsessed with it as you can plainly see if you’ve spent even 5 minutes on my blog. Comfort food. Can’t get ’nuff. Oh, my pants say they’ve definitely had enough, but I ignore them and take orders directly from my comfort-cravin’ tastebuds.

Since the frigid temps and knee-high snow outside are obviously calling for comfort, I would say that today is the DAY for this soup. In other news, I’ve been hiding this recipe for about 2 months now. SORRY!!

Oh, and if you’re currently residing some heat-wavish place like Florida or Cali where it’s above 10F degrees, I still think you need to make this soup. Slather on the sunscreen and take a bowl of this soup out to the lawnchair with you.

And feel sorry for Sarah who is currently buried under a pile of about 7 fuzzy blankets.

Okay, I promised that I wouldn’t complain too much in this post so I’ll try to stop my winter-moaning and get back the point. Which is soup. Italian Wedding Soup.

So romantic, so dang amazing for you and your sweetheart to dine in style.

HECK, yes.

So what the heck is Italian Wedding soup you may ask? Let me fill you in. It’s pretty much just a pot full of spot-on flavor and comfort.

So. Much. Goodness piled into one pot. A soup pot fulla’ zee LOVE.

We’ve got the veggies (carrots, parsnips, spinach, tomatoes, ect) we’ve got orzo pasta, and literally THE most melt-in-your mouth beef meatballs ever floating around in a rich, flavorful broth.

Give me ALL the seconds, thirds, and possibly even fourths.

With extra slices of the extra-crusty french bread.

You say it’s diet-season? I say this soup is WORTH IT.

‘Kay, so I was pretty disappointed, guys. When I first heard the name of this soup, I was like COOL! They probably used to eat this soup at weddings in Italy!

Well, um actually no. According to Cooks Illustrated, this soup’s name did NOT originate from it being served at ancient Italian weddings. Apparently, it was named Italian Wedding soup to refer to the “marriage” of so many flavorful ingredients into one stew.

And here I was mentally planning to serve this soup as the main course at my future wedding. BOO.

Either way, I still freakin’ love the name. And I freakin’ HEART this soup. Take that Mr. Winter!

You should make this for dinner tonight. I think we all need some comfort food. 🙂

Soup is ON.

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5 from 1 vote

Italian Wedding Soup

This hearty, Italian-style stew is chock-full of tender veggies, lots of orzo pasta, and the most tender meatballs ever in a rich, flavorful broth.--A perfect Sunday dinner with warm bread!

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings -8 servings

Ingredients

MEATBALLS:
2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup fresh spinach minced
1/2 cup fresh parsley minced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 large egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
SOUP:
3 cups sliced carrots
3 cups peeled and diced parsnips
1 large onion finely diced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can 28 oz Italian-style diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the meatballs: Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients until evenly incorporated. Roll meatball dough into 1-in balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake meatballs at 350F 20-25 minutes or until they register 165F. Set aside.
Prepare the soup: In a large pot over medium-high heat, saute carrots, parsnips, onion, and garlic in olive oil until vegetables are fragrant and slightly browned, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes, and chicken broth.
Bring soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then stir in orzo pasta, spinach, parsley, and cooked meatballs. Reduce heat to low and simmer until pasta is cooked and vegetables are tender.
Season soup with salt and pepper and let stand, covered for 30 minutes in order for the flavors to meld. Serve warm.