Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup
Italian Wedding Soup is one of our favorite soups. We’ve had many versions and find that they all have similar ingredients, like the meatballs, Acini Pepe Pasta and spinach. The meatballs are usually made with Italian herbs and Parmesan cheese for a traditional flavor. You can use another small pasta like Ditalini, which is found in some recipes.
We like the flavor of beef for the meatballs, but you can use ground turkey, a combination of beef and pork, or even a protein crumble. The flavor is delicious all ways.
For serving, we always have a loaf of warm crusty bread, which is always perfect with soup or stew. For our Crusty Bread Recipe, please click HERE.
6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
Meatballs:
1 Lb Lean Ground Beef
1 Egg, Lightly Beaten
¼ Cup Onion Finely Chopped
1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1 Clove Garlic, Minced Fine
½ Cup Breadcrumbs, Plain or Italian Seasoned
¼ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Soup:
8 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Large Carrots, Peeled and Diced Small
2 Ribs Celery Diced Small
1 Small Onion Diced Small
2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1 Clove Garlic Minced
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 Ounces Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves, Chopped a Bit, but not too small
1 Cup Acini Di Pepe Pasta
Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, add the ground beef, egg, garlic, onion, Italian seasoning, parsley, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Combine well. Shape into 1 inch meatballs.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When it starts to shimmer, add the meatballs. Cook the meatballs thoroughly, about 5-7 minutes, browning some on all sides. Turn as needed so they brown but not burn. Transfer to a plate on paper towels. Pat to remove excess grease.
Add to the slow cooker the cooked meatballs, chicken broth, onion, garlic, carrots, Italian Seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper. Turn on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours. The celery and carrots should be firm tender.
Add the pasta and baby spinach leaves to the slow cooker 20 minutes prior to mealtime. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Check the doneness of the pasta. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Serve in bowls with a garnish of a bit more Parmesan cheese if you like. We like to serve with a good, warm crusty bread. We have an easy Crusty Bread recipe on our website. For the recipe, click HERE.