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Home/Recipes/Italian Wedding Soup with Orzo and Meatballs

Italian Wedding Soup with Orzo and Meatballs

Serves 5 to 6
Time 50 min
There are endless variations on this soup, but the main elements are meatballs and greens. In our recipe, we make meatballs of ground beef and pork, and we add plenty of fresh herbs and kale for the green component. While the name indicates that the soup might be served at an Italian wedding, it is actually a mistranslation of minestra maritata, which refers to the "marriage" of greens and meat in the soup.
Special Diets:
High-Fiber
Ingredients
  • Meatballs
  • 1/2 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/4 pound lean ground pork
  • 1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • grated nutmeg
  • paprika
  • Soup
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (28.0-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo
  • 2 cups shredded kale
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Method

For the meatballs, combine beef, pork, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, egg, nutmeg, and paprika in a large bowl and use your hands to mix well.

Use a teaspoon to measure out meat for even sized meatballs.

With damp hands, shape them into 1-inch balls and transfer them to a large plate.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.

For the soup, melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add onion, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 4 minutes.

Stir in broth, tomatoes, and 2 cups water.

Cover and cook 10 minutes over medium heat or until soup comes to a boil.

Add meatballs and orzo to the boiling soup and stir to make sure they are fully submerged.

Cover and simmer until the meatballs and orzo are fully cooked, about 15 minutes over medium heat.

Stir in kale and cook just until wilted, about 3 minutes.

Nutritional Info:
Per serving: 420 calories (110 from fat), 12g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 95mg cholesterol, 680mg sodium, 53g carbohydrates (5g dietary fiber, 9g sugar), 25g protein.
Note: We've provided special diet and nutritional information for educational purposes. But remember - we're cooks, not doctors! You should follow the advice of your health-care provider. And since product formulations change, check product labels for the most recent ingredient information.
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Ingredients
  • Meatballs
  • 1/2 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/4 pound lean ground pork
  • 1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • grated nutmeg
  • paprika
  • Soup
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (28.0-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo
  • 2 cups shredded kale
Shop recipe on Amazon

Exclusively for Prime members in select ZIP codes.