Italian Wedding Soup

by Danielle Alvarez, featured in Made Simple

Published by Murdoch Books

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Introduction

This soup, also known as minestra maritata (‘married soup’), is a bit of a misnomer. Rather than featuring in traditional Italian wedding ceremonies, the name refers to the delicious ‘marrying’ of the meat and vegetables within the soup. Traditionally made with a homemade broth extracted from pork, chicken and beef bones, this simplified version requires a good-quality stock, but one that could be purchased. You could make the meatballs with either pork, chicken or beef — or a mix of all three. Pork and beef obviously offer a bit more richness, but I also like to make this on the lighter side with some chicken. You do whatever speaks to you.

For US measures and ingredient names, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

Made Simple

Image of Danielle Alvarez's Italian Wedding Soup — Photo by Lean Timms

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Metric U.S.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
50 grams diced pancetta or streaky bacon
1 large brown onion (finely diced)
3 celery stalks (finely diced)
1 large carrot (finely diced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh or dried rosemary leaves
2 litres good-quality stock (preferably homemade) - I use a mix of chicken and beef stock
a Parmesan rind (optional)
170 grams ditalini or 220g/1 cup risoni (a.k.a. orzo)
1 head escarole leaves separated and washed, or 280g/10oz baby spinach leaves

MEATBALLS

500 grams minced pork (chicken or beef or a mix of all three)
1 egg
35 grams grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 garlic cloves (peeled and finely grated)
30 grams dried breadcrumbs
black pepper

TO FINISH

grated Parmesan
chopped parsley
black pepper
wedges of lemons

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1¾ ounces diced pancetta or streaky bacon
1 large brown onion (finely diced)
3 celery stalks (finely diced)
1 large carrot (finely diced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
¼ teaspoon chile flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh or dried rosemary leaves
8 cups good-quality stock (preferably homemade) - I use a mix of chicken and beef stock
a Parmesan rind (optional)
1 cup ditalini or 220g/1 cup risoni (a.k.a. orzo)
1 head escarole leaves separated and washed, or 280g/10oz baby spinach leaves

MEATBALLS

1lb 2 ounces ground pork (chicken or beef or a mix of all three)
1 egg
⅓ cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 garlic cloves (peeled and finely grated)
¼ cup dried breadcrumbs
black pepper

TO FINISH

grated Parmesan
chopped parsley
black pepper
wedges of lemons

Method

Italian Wedding Soup is a guest recipe by Danielle Alvarez so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Combine all your meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl, stirring together with a stiff spoon or spatula. Scoop out a heaped teaspoon of the mixture and form into a small ball. Continue shaping more meatballs until all the mixture is used up, lining them all up on a baking tray as you go. (Minced chicken will be a bit more wet than pork, so either chill the mixture in the fridge, or keep your hands slightly wet to make rolling the meatballs a little easier.)
Heat a large soup pot or flameproof casserole dish over medium–high heat. Add the olive oil and brown the meatballs on all sides; you will need to do this in several batches to cook the meatballs in one even layer. Remove the meatballs and set aside.
Next, add the pancetta, onion, celery, carrot, garlic and chilli flakes to the pan. Add the salt and cook over medium heat for about 10–15 minutes, until the vegetables are softened, and the onion is translucent.
Add the rosemary and sizzle for a minute longer, before adding the stock and parmesan rind, if using. Bring to a simmer and put the meatballs back in. Simmer, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes.
Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, using the timing suggested on the packet as a guide. When the pasta is barely al dente, add the greens and allow to wilt into the soup for about 2 minutes.
Remove and discard the parmesan rind, if you’ve added one.
Check for seasoning and adjust with salt as needed.
Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve hot, with loads of extra grated parmesan, a sprinkling of chopped parsley and lots of black pepper, with lemon on the side to squeeze into the soup.

Combine all your meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl, stirring together with a stiff spoon or spatula. Scoop out a heaped teaspoon of the mixture and form into a small ball. Continue shaping more meatballs until all the mixture is used up, lining them all up on a baking tray as you go. (Minced chicken will be a bit more wet than pork, so either chill the mixture in the fridge, or keep your hands slightly wet to make rolling the meatballs a little easier.)
Heat a large soup pot or flameproof casserole dish over medium–high heat. Add the olive oil and brown the meatballs on all sides; you will need to do this in several batches to cook the meatballs in one even layer. Remove the meatballs and set aside.
Next, add the pancetta, onion, celery, carrot, garlic and chile flakes to the pan. Add the salt and cook over medium heat for about 10–15 minutes, until the vegetables are softened, and the onion is translucent.
Add the rosemary and sizzle for a minute longer, before adding the stock and parmesan rind, if using. Bring to a simmer and put the meatballs back in. Simmer, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes.
Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, using the timing suggested on the packet as a guide. When the pasta is barely al dente, add the greens and allow to wilt into the soup for about 2 minutes.
Remove and discard the parmesan rind, if you’ve added one.
Check for seasoning and adjust with salt as needed.
Ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve hot, with loads of extra grated parmesan, a sprinkling of chopped parsley and lots of black pepper, with lemon on the side to squeeze into the soup.