The Best Italian Wedding Soup Recipe from Ina Garten

What is Italian Wedding Soup?

Italian wedding soup is an Italian-American dish made of meatballs and vegetables in a light broth. It is sometimes referred to as "minestra maritata" or "married soup". It is often served as an appetizer, but can also be served as a main course.

Ina Garten's Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Ina Garten, the chef and author of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks, has a delicious Italian wedding soup recipe that's sure to please. Her recipe involves making the soup broth with chicken stock, white wine, and Parmesan rind. Then she adds the vegetables: carrots, celery, onions, and escarole. The meatballs are made with ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and parsley.

Ingredients:

For the broth:
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups white wine
• 1 Parmesan cheese rind

For the soup:
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 head escarole, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the meatballs:
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, white wine, and Parmesan rind and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well and shape into 1-inch meatballs.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for about 7 minutes, until lightly browned on all sides.
4. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and escarole to the pot with the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the cooked meatballs to the pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Serve hot with crusty bread or over cooked pasta.

Tips for Making Italian Wedding Soup

• Use good-quality chicken stock for best results. Homemade stock is always best, but store-bought will also work.
• The Parmesan rind adds a lot of flavor to the broth, so don't skip it!
• If you don't have escarole, you can substitute spinach or kale.
• You can also add other vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms, or bell peppers.
• If you don't have ground pork, you can use all ground beef or a combination of ground beef and ground turkey.
• You can also add cooked pasta to the soup, if desired.

Serving Suggestions

This Italian wedding soup is delicious served with crusty Italian or French bread. You can also serve it over cooked pasta or with a side salad for a complete meal.

Conclusion

Ina Garten's Italian wedding soup is a hearty and flavorful soup that can be enjoyed as an appetizer or main course. With a few simple ingredients and a few easy steps, you can make this delicious soup in no time. Serve it with crusty bread or over cooked pasta for a satisfying and delicious meal.