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Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup recipe with chicken meatballs spinach and acini di pepe pasta
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A comforting and strategic meal prep soup featuring tender chicken meatballs, small pasta, and fresh spinach in a savory broth. This recipe is designed to hold its texture and flavor beautifully throughout the week, making healthy lunches effortless. It’s a complete, nourishing meal that feels like a warm hug.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup small pasta like acini di pepe or orzo
  • 5 ounces fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • Extra grated Parmesan for serving

Instructions

  1. Make the meatball mixture by combining ground chicken, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix gently with hands until just combined.
  2. Form the mixture into small meatballs, about 3/4-inch in diameter. You should have 30-40 meatballs. Place them on a plate.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened.
  4. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer.
  6. Carefully drop the meatballs into the simmering broth. Let them set for 2 minutes, then gently nudge. Simmer for 10 minutes until cooked through.
  7. Stir in the dry pasta and cook according to package directions, usually 8-10 minutes.
  8. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in the fresh spinach until wilted. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  9. Ladle into bowls and serve with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

For best meal prep results, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls when serving to prevent it from becoming mushy in the fridge. The soup without pasta can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://harmonymeal.com/italian-wedding-soup-2/