Italian Wedding Soup

What is wedding soup called?Its original name in Italian is minestra maritata and it was translated to “wedding soup”, when in fact, a more appropriate translation would be “married soup”—as in green vegetables (minestra) blend very well (maritata) with meat. The marriage isn’t a marriage between two people, but between vegetables and meat.

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1/4 cup uncooked orzo or acini di pepe pasta
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 cups chopped fresh spinach

• In a large bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs, parsley, 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 3/4-in. meatballs.
• Place in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes; drain.
• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. In a large saucepan, saute onion and celery in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, beans and spinach. Stir in pasta, meatballs and remaining salt and pepper.
• Cook until spinach is tender and meatballs are heated through. Garnish with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Kitchen Tips :

 Use FROZEN meatballs and Spinach to make a quick version.

Can you freeze Italian wedding soup?Let cool slightly, then ladle into freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw the soup, bring it to a simmer, and continue with the next cooking steps.

More wedding tips as I celebrate January weddings – Lisa