Renée Kohlman: Italian wedding soup is a perfect winter marriage

With soup season in full force, there are plenty of favourites to choose from.

Mushroom, tomato, beef barley, French onion, potato and leek all have a place in my heart. But, I have to gently usher them to the side as there’s a new soup on my radar, and I’m completely smitten: Italian wedding soup.

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Consisting of small tasty meatballs, vegetables (always something green and leafy, like spinach or kale), teeny tiny pasta, and a rich full-bodied broth, it’s easy to see why this would indeed make for a fine marriage.

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In fact, its original name in Italian is minestra maritata, which translates to “wedding soup.”

But the thing is, the “marriage” occurs between the vegetables and meat, not between two people. Sure, you might eat this at weddings because it sounds fun and cute, but the history of the soup has nothing to do with an actual wedding.

Italian wedding is a pure peasant food. It was typically made with any leftover meat (usually pork sausages or meatballs), tucked into a nice broth with any green or bitter vegetables hanging about, like chicory, endive, spinach, chard, kale, or cabbage. As the soup migrated to America, the cooks would toss in pasta — the smaller the better.

The tender meatballs, ample veggies, toothsome pasta and rich broth really do make this soup a meal unto itself, especially when garnished with heaps of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

It might seem like there’s plenty of prep involved with this soup, and you’re not wrong. I mean, you have to make meatballs from scratch, but all in all you can be eating this soup in about 90 minutes. I like to make a double batch of meatballs and freeze half of them. That way, the next time I want to make the soup, the hard part is already done!

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I used a combination of hot Italian sausage and ground beef, so there’s great flavour already happening. There are also fresh herbs and Parmesan added in for another layer of flavour. I don’t use my usual Panko breadcrumbs but opted for the seasoned Italian crumbs, which are readily available as well.

Once you roll the mixture into small balls, about one-inch in diameter, they’re baked until lightly golden and fully cooked, about 16 minutes. During this time, you get the soup started with the usual suspects of onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. I use a combination of chicken and beef broth but you could use a vegetable broth as well. Any small pasta works here — ditalini, orzo, small shells, etc. And, for the leafy green vegetable, I used kale, but spinach or chard are all contenders.

The soup is hearty and healthful, and oh so satisfying. I think that we will indeed live happily ever after.

Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs:
1 large egg
3 tbsp finely chopped green onions or chives
2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage
2 garlic cloves, minced
375 g lean ground beef
250 g sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from casings
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp olive oil, for brushing

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Soup:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 large carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup small pasta, such as ditalini, orzo, or shells
3 packed cups fresh kale or spinach leaves (remove stems if using kale)
grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat the egg with the green onions, sage, and garlic. Add the meat, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls, about one-inch in diameter. Aim for about 40-50 meatballs. Brush with olive oil. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Meatballs can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.

3. While the meatballs are baking, start on the soup. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high temperature, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, about six minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another two minutes, until fragrant.

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4. Pour in the chicken and beef broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cover, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, at a gentle boil until the pasta is al dente, eight to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. Turn the heat to low and add the kale and meatballs. Simmer for a few minutes until the greens are wilted and the meatballs are warmed through. If the soup seems too thick, thin with a bit of water or more broth.

5. Ladle into bowls and top with the grated Parmesan cheese. Makes six to eight servings.

Note: Make a double batch of meatballs and freeze half for future use.

Renée Kohlman has been cooking and baking professionally for over 20 years. Her best-selling debut cookbook, All the Sweet Things (TouchWood Editions), received accolades at the 2018 Taste Canada Awards. Her second cookbook, Vegetables: A Love Story (TouchWood Editions), was named one of the top 100 books in 2021 by The Globe and Mail. Renée is often in her kitchen, baking gourmet cookies, which she sells at the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market every weekend.

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