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A simple take on Italian Wedding soup with meatballs, greens and pecorino cheese.
My grandmother always said that the real secret to this Italian wedding soup is having a great broth. And in my experience, the secret to a great broth in adding pork neck bones. Pork neck bones add great flavor to broth and are typically inexpensive.
My Broth Method
I have been making broth for years. Broth is useful for making soups, stews, braising meats and just sipping on its own. I make it using the slow cooker function of my instant pot. This way I can let it cook overnight or if i need to leave the house without worrying about leaving the stove on. My broth consists of:
∙Chicken Carcass or Whole Chicken
∙Chicken Feet (can omit if using whole chicken)
∙2-3 ribs celery
∙2-3 Carrots
∙1 Onion
∙3-4 Pork Neck Bones
∙1 Tablespoon Salt
∙Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar
Add all the ingredients to pot of slow cooker. Fill pot with water until everything is covered and then slow cook on high for 10-15 hours. Strain and store in jars in fridge for 1 week. Or freeze in souper cubes.
Top Tips
∙Homemade Broth: While the broth is what makes this Italian wedding soup recipe truly special, store bought broth will work just fine.
∙Meat: Use a mixture of ground pork and ground beef for the meatballs. However, you can use just beef.
∙Pasta: Many recipes add some form of pasta which you can add if you like. I prefer to not include pasta and instead serve with crusty bread.
∙ Spinach: For picky eaters, omit the spinach and add star pasta.
∙Breadcrumbs: This recipe is unique because it does not include breadcrumbs like most Italian wedding soups. My grandma did not use them when making the meatballs for this soup and in my own experience they are not necessary here.
Simple Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground pork
- ½ pound ground beef
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ cup pecorino romano cheese, grated
- ¼ cup italian parsley, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- extra pecorino romano for serving
Instructions
- Bring homemade chicken broth to a simmer in a large pot.
- In a large bowl mix together ground pork, ground beef, egg, pecorino romano cheese, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Roll mixture into small meatballs, no larger than 1 inch.
- Gently drop meatballs into broth and simmer until cooked through. They typically start to float in broth when they are done.
- Add spinach and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately and garnish with pecorino romano cheese.
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