Description
Two bowls of Italian wedding soup: small beef meatballs, escarole and acini di pepe simmered in chicken broth in one small saucepan.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs (from about half a slice of white bread)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon grated onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces ground beef (85% lean)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup acini di pepe or other tiny pasta
- 2 cups chopped escarole (about a quarter of a head)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and milk and let them soak for a minute. Add the egg yolk, Parmesan, grated onion, parsley, garlic, salt and a few grinds of pepper and mix well. Add the beef and mix gently with your hands until just combined. Roll into about 16 meatballs, each about 1 inch across.
- Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs for 3 to 4 minutes, turning them so they color on several sides; they do not need to be cooked through. Move them to a plate with a slotted spoon.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until starting to soften.
- Pour in the broth, scraping up the browned bits, and bring to a boil. Stir in the acini di pepe and return the meatballs and their juices to the pot.
- Lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pasta is tender and the meatballs reach 160°F in the center.
- Stir in the escarole and simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve with more Parmesan.
Notes
Equipment: 3-quart saucepan with lid, mixing bowl, slotted spoon, box grater or microplane, instant-read thermometer
- Spinach can replace the escarole; stir it in for the last minute only.
- Israeli (pearl) couscous or orzo can replace the acini di pepe; cook until tender.
- Pecorino Romano can replace the Parmesan for a sharper flavor.
- Refrigerate leftover soup in a covered container for up to 3 days. The pasta keeps absorbing broth, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating.
- Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming hot throughout.
- Cook ground beef meatballs to 160°F (USDA FSIS).
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking (FoodSafety.gov).
- Reheat leftovers to 165°F (FoodSafety.gov).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American