January marks National Soup Month, and one of your favorite Amherst restaurants, Pastamore, is here to celebrate! This month, we’re talking about the history of one of our favorite authentic Italian soups. Care to take a guess? It’s Italian wedding soup!
Stick around for the ultimate Italian wedding soup recipe to enjoy this winter!
History of Italian Wedding Soup
We hate to ruin the surprise, but Italian wedding soup doesn’t actually have much to do with weddings. But it does have a little something to do with marriage- between food, that is! The food we’re talking about is vegetables and meat, in this case.
This soup was initially considered a “peasant dish” where leftover meat was used, paired with green vegetables and a broth. The vegetables included were typically on the bitter side like cabbage, chard, spinach, chicory, and escarole. Italian wedding soup that we know today didn’t originally consist of pasta, but due to its affordability, many recipes include it today!
Authentic Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
Ingredients (Meatballs)
- ¾ lb of 90% lean ground beef
- ½ lb of hot or sweet Italian sausage (removed from casing)
- One large egg
- Two cloves of minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons of chopped sage and chives (fresh)
- ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
- ¼ cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- ½ cup or grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Ingredients (Soup)
- Six cups of chicken broth (no low-sodium)
- 2 cups of beef broth (no low-sodium)
- One diced medium yellow onion
- Two diced stalks of celery
- Two diced large carrots
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 cups of water
- ¼ teaspoon of black or white pepper
- ½ teaspoon of kosher salt
- ½ cup white wine
- One bay leaf
- One cup of small pasta (orzo, couscous, ditalini, etc)
- 3 dense cups of chopped fresh spinach
- Parmigiano Reggiano for garnishing
Instructions (Meatballs)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place aluminum foil over a baking sheet and put an oven-roasting rack over the top. Make sure to spray the rack with cooking spray.
- Use a large bowl and combine the egg, garlic, sage, and chives and beat the egg until mixed thoroughly.
- Add the rest of the ingredients for the meatballs and use your hands to ensure everything is mixed.
- Roll the mixture into balls, about the size of a tablespoon. Continue this process until done and place on the oven rack to bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
- Once meatballs are lightly browned, set aside.
Instructions (Soup)
- Heat the olive in a large pot over medium heat. Combine celery, onions, and carrots and stir consistently until ingredients are softened, and onions are translucent.
- Once vegetables are softened, add beef and chicken broth, bay leaf, water, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and add your preferred pasta and cook until it’s al dente.
- Once pasta is cooked, reduce heat to low and add the meatballs and chopped spinach until meatballs are warm and spinach is wilted
- Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and enjoy!
Visit One of Your Favorite Amherst Restaurants, Pastamore!
We hope you enjoyed this authentic Italian wedding soup recipe. In the meantime, when you’re craving authentic Italian cuisine, we encourage you to visit one of your favorite Amherst restaurants Pastamore for a delicious and satisfying meal! If you’re interested in dining with us, you can view our menu online and our hours!
