Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

• 0.75 pound ground beef
• 0.25 pound ground pork
• 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
• 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 0.75 cup small pasta, such as acini di pepe or orzo
• 4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, half the minced garlic, 0.5 teaspoon of the salt, and half the pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until combined -- overmixing makes the meatballs dense and tough.
2. Roll the mixture into small meatballs, about 3/4 inch across (roughly the size of a large marble), and place them on a plate. You should get 35 to 40 small meatballs.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
4. Add the remaining garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
5. Pour in the chicken broth and add the remaining 0.5 teaspoon salt and remaining pepper. Raise the heat and bring the broth to a gentle boil.
6. Carefully drop the meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time using a slotted spoon, then reduce the heat slightly so the broth simmers steadily rather than boiling violently, which can break the meatballs apart.
7. Simmer the meatballs for 8 to 10 minutes, until a food thermometer inserted into the center of the largest one reads 160 F and none look pink when cut in half.
8. Add the small pasta to the pot and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring gently every so often, until the pasta is tender but still has a slight bite.
9. Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for 2 minutes, just until wilted into the soup.
10. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with more salt as needed, keeping in mind the meatballs and Parmesan already add saltiness.
11. Ladle into bowls, making sure each portion gets a good number of meatballs, and top with extra grated Parmesan before serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is an estimate per serving and is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.