Italian Wedding Soup

By vealam

Ingredients

• For the Meatballs:
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, grated
• 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg whites
• For the Chicken:
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• For the Soup:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, diced small
• 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 ribs celery, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 12 cups chicken broth
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup acini di pepi or other small pasta
• 8 ounces fresh spinach, chopped

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 135mins
Adapted from browneyedbaker.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Combine all ingredients for the meatballs and shape into small (½-inch) balls. Place on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, place the chicken breasts in a large stockpot and fill with water until it is covering the chicken by at least one inch. Bring to a boil and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and use tongs to remove the chicken to a large plate. Shred the chicken and set aside. Empty water from stockpot.

3. Melt butter in the now-empty stockpot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

4. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Gently add the meatballs to the soup and cook for 7 minutes. Add the pasta and cook for an additional 6 minutes. Add spinach and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the shredded chicken. Cover again and allow to simmer for another 30 minutes or so. You can eat as soon as the chicken is re-heated, but allowing it to simmer for a little longer allows all the new flavors to meld together.