I’ve always wondered how Italian Wedding Soup got its name, so I did a little research and found the answer. The term “wedding soup” is a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase “minestra maritata (“married soup”),” which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meats go well together. I’ve been a little heavy on the butter and cream in recent posts so I thought it was time to lighten things up a little with a good soup for fall. This soup is very hearty but low-fat at the same time. Served with whole grain garlic bread, this soup is a great weeknight dinner.
I usually make meatballs with higher fat ground turkey, but I decided to try ground turkey breast for this recipe. Turkey breast can be a little dry but because the meatballs are in the soup I really liked this version. I did add a little olive oil to the meatballs which helped.
This time of year, I love soup on a cool autumn night. This combination of mirepoix vegetables, meatballs, spinach, and orzo make for a comforting and satisfying dinner. Try this one and let me know what you think.
Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey breast
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup orzo pasta
1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes
10 cups chicken stock
6 cups fresh spinach
2 to 3 tsp salt to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
1. Combine all meatball ingredients and roll into 1 inch balls.
2. Heat olive oil in large soup pot.
3. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, meatballs, and salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add orzo and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Stir in spinach and remove from heat.
7. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
https://southernboydishes.com/2012/11/17/italian-wedding-soup/
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It’s a cold and rainy day here in Oregon… this soup would be perfect for dinner! Comforting, healthy, and so delicious.