RECIPE ALERT: Italian Wedding Soup with Sausage Meatballs

Cool temperatures bring soup weather! Make a double batch of this delicious Italian Wedding Soup with Sausage Meatballs today! Enjoy it for dinner tonight and freeze the rest for the cold days to come!

For the Meatballs

3/4 lb. ground chicken or turkey

1/2 lb. chicken sausage, casings removed

2/3 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

2 cloves minced garlic

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the ground chicken, sausage, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large mixing bowl and combine well. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Gently roll each meatball into a round ball. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until springy to the touch. Set aside.

For the Soup

2 Tbsp. good olive oil

1 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced carrots

3/4 cup diced celery

1/2 cup dry white wine, optional

10 cups homemade chicken stock

3 cups cooked small pasta 

3 Tbsp. minced fresh oregano

12 oz. baby spinach or chopped escarole, washed

Heat a large soup pot on high heat. When hot, add the olive oil.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and bring to a full boil, then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the pasta, oregano, spinach and cooked meatballs to the broth and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Ladle the soup into serving bowls each serving with extra grated Parmesan.  Serves 8 to 10

Find this recipe and more in Chef Dan’s cookbook Mix Match Make Take: High Energy Food for High Energy People.