In the cooler months when you are craving something warm and comforting for lunch or dinner, look no further than this Healthy Italian Wedding Soup. This is not your average soup: it's packed with flavor and textural components like lean beef meatballs, mini pasta, and fresh spinach. This soup is easy to make, family-friendly, and healthy. Made with all real ingredients, you can feel good about eating this soup and serving it to your family. Enjoy it on its own, or serve it alongside a salad or sandwich for a bigger meal.
Course appetizer, main course, soup
Cuisine Italian
Keyword italian wedding soup
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Calories 305kcal
Author Steph
Equipment
frying pan
dutch oven or large pot
Ingredients
Mini Beef Meatballs
1lb96/4 extra lean ground beef
1egg
1/3cupseasoned breadcrumbs
1/3cupgrated parmesan cheese
2tbspparsleyfresh, minced
2clovesgarlicminced
1tspdried oregano
1/2tspkosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
Soup
1cupcarrotsdiced
1cuponiondiced
1cupcelerydiced
2clovesgarlicminced
8cupsreduced sodium chicken broth
4ozpastinamini pasta, like acini di pepe, pastina, etc.
1/2tspkosher salt
6ozfresh spinach leaves
Instructions
Combine the meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl, using your hands.
Form into 40-50 mini meatballs, about 1/2-3/4" in diameter.
Preheat a frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add olive oil spray to the pan.
Fry the meatballs in batches; cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes.
The meatballs will not be cooked through, we are just looking for some color on the outside.
Remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside on a plate, then cook the second batch.
In the meantime, preheat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium to medium high heat. Add olive oil spray.
Add the diced carrot, onion and celery to the Dutch oven. Cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and tender.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the salt.
Add the pasta and the pre-cooked meatballs to the pot.
Reduce the heat to simmer, and cover with the lid.
Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked and the meatballs are cooked through.
Stir in the spinach.
Note: As the soup sits, the pasta will absorb the broth and the liquid will reduce significantly.