Italian Wedding Soup with Orzo

This is my favorite soup recipe that I started making after, funnily enough, I got married! The local paper published it, too. Garnish with parsley, and serve!

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 29 mins
• Total Time: 54 mins
• Calories: 413 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 egg white
• ½ cup minced onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 carrots, diced
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ pound ground beef
• ¼ pound ground pork
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs, or more as needed
• 1 parsnip, diced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Mix pork, beef, egg white, bread crumbs, and Italian seasoning together in a bowl. Form very small, pea-sized meatballs.

Step 2

Heat oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, parsnip, onion, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until vegetables are soft, 7 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

Pour chicken broth into the pot; bring to a boil. Add the mini meatballs and orzo pasta. Reduce heat to low; let simmer until flavors combine, 15 to 20 minutes. Add spinach; cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.