Italian Wedding Soup Inspired Orzo
I’ve been making a lot of Thai soups recently, (and I won’t be stopping anytime soon- there are so many different combinations left to try)!
However, it was time for a bit of a break and to try something new. I’ve wanted to make Italian Wedding Soup for a long time. We always try to incorporate healthy ingredients into our meals, and because I always cook with a toddler in mind, I try to make it as yummy as possible. So far, he has fallen in love with vegetables and I hope to keep it that way.
I made this with the intention of it being a soup, however, I put too much orzo (I rarely measure while I’m experimenting). This Italian Wedding Soup Inspired Orzo was a happy accident that turned my original plan into something that works as an amazing side dish or a hearty meal on its own. If you rather make the soup, simply add more broth/water or put in less orzo than indicated.
Meatballs
Since I was clueless about what to add to an Italian Wedding soup, I looked at different recipes for a bit of a guideline. I have made meatballs before but (this is embarrassing), I’ve made meatballs that were “Okay” before. Some were full of cheese, others had amazing seasoning, and yet cooking them was always a hassle. I tried broiling them as stated in a recipe from Dinner at the Zoo, and they are the BEST meatballs I’ve ever made.
Ingredients
1/2 lb Ground Pork
1/2 lb Ground Beef
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan
1/4 Cup Italian Herb Breadcrumbs
1 Tsp Dried Basil
2 Tsp Dried Parsley
1 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tbsp Dried Rosemary
3 Bay Leaves
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Pkg Orzo, uncooked
6-8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1 Onion, diced
2-4 Cloves Garlic, minced
3 Stalks Celery, chopped
3 Carrots, peeled, halved, sliced
3-4 Cups Baby Spinach
Sat & Pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat your broiler and put foil or parchment paper on a large cooking tray. In a large bowl, mix the ground pork, beef, parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and egg. Roll the mixture into medium-sized balls, place on the tray and season with a bit of salt and pepper and extra parmesan cheese. Broil for 8-10 minutes. Remove from broiler, and set to the side.
In a large pot over medium heat, add the butter. Once melted, add the celery, onion, garlic, carrots, and rosemary. Cook for about 4 minutes.
Add the broth, bay leaves, orzo and meatballs. Stir well. Allow it to cook for about 5 minutes, then add the spinach. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add a bit more parmesan cheese if desired, along with salt & pepper to taste.
The orzo will absorb most of the moisture, but keep your eye on it as it cooks and add more broth/water if you want more liquid. Adding more broth will also help you when you reheat any leftovers.
Remove the bay leaves before serving and season with a bit more pepper or red chili flakes if you want a bit of heat.
Enjoy!