Italian Wedding Soup

Winter soup season is upon us and one of my favorite soups is this version of Italian Wedding Soup, made with cheese tortellini and frozen Italian meatballs. It can be made with absolutely minimal effort by choosing prepared ingredients from the grocery store.

Assemble the ingredients, and in approximately 30 minutes you will have a hearty, delicious soup. This is the number one requested soup in my family, so I am confident your family will love it as well.

A Quick, Hearty Soup Made with Tortellini and Meatballs

Name: Italian Wedding Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 24, 1/2-ounce Italian meatballs (your own or frozen); 1 pound of carrots, diced (fresh or frozen); 1 large (20 ounce) package of fresh cheese tortellini; 1 medium onion, chopped (fresh or frozen); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 8 cups low sodium chicken broth; 1 cup water; 6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (1 package), stems removed; 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tablespoon dried basil; salt and pepper to taste; grated Parmesan cheese, optional; To make your own chicken meatballs:; Early in the day:; 1 pound of ground chicken breast; a generous handful of fresh parsley, chopped; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese; 1 cup Panko bread crumbs; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 3 egg whites; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Italian Wedding Soup with Cheese Tortellini and Italian Meatballs

When I'm in a hurry to make this soup I make it completely with store-bought prepared ingredients including frozen meatballs. It is quick and delicious.

When I have a little extra time I'll make my own chicken stock for a deeper, richer chicken flavor. Occasionally, I'll make my own chicken meatballs, as well. I'm including the recipe for my chicken meatballs in the recipe link in case you want ever to make your own meatballs.

For additional versatility, substitute other forms of pasta in the soup. I like to use either orzo or tubetini when I'm changing it up. Escarole is a nice substitution for spinach. Be sure to chop the escarole before adding it to the broth and know that it will take longer than the spinach to cook.

One thing you'll want to be careful about is the amount of salt you use. The amount of sodium in your chicken broth will determine how much salt you need to add. The only way to tell how much salt you need is to taste the soup. A tablespoon of salt usually works for me, but you may need more or less.

Tip: Cook pasta separately from your soup and add it to your soup bowl just before serving to keep your pasta from absorbing all the broth.

Cooking the tortellini in the soup works well if you are going to serve the soup right away. If not, the tortellini will absorb the broth and you may find yourself with less broth than you like. You can cook the tortellini separately in another pot and then add it to the soup just before serving.

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Enjoy!

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