Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
1 spanish onion
4 celery stalks
3 large carrots, peeled
1/2 fennel bulb
4 garlic cloves
10 cups chicken stock homemade or store bought
2 tsp italian seasoning (basil, rosemary, oregano, chili flakes, parsley)
1 parmesan rind
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp avocado or olive oil
spinach (for serving)
freshly grated parm (for serving)
Method
Veggie Prep: Start by peeling and quartering the onion, roughly dicing the carrot, halving the fennel, and roughly dicing the celery. Add the onion and celery to the base of a food processor and pulse until lightly minced. Transfer to a small bowl or container and set aside. Next, add the carrot and fennel to the food processor and pulse until finely diced. Place this mixture into another small container or bowl and set aside. Finally, mince the garlic.
Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot on medium-low heat and add the oil. After 5 minutes, add the prepared onion and celery. Sauté on low until the onion is translucent and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Once the onion is fragrant, add the carrot and fennel, and sauté for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After the vegetables have cooked down a bit, season with garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add the Parmesan rind and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Pour in the stock and reduce the heat to low. Gradually bring the soup to a light simmer and maintain the simmer for 30 minutes.
If Cooking the Meatballs in the Soup: After 30 minutes of simmering, add all the meatballs and increase the heat to medium. Stir occasionally until the meatballs are cooked through, which should take about 8–10 minutes. While the meatballs cook, skim off any unwanted fat from the top.
If you baked the meatballs in the oven just transfer them into the soup after simmering for 30 minutes and serve.
Pour the finished soup over a bed of fresh spinach and top with freshly grated Parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
The meatballs can be cooked separately in the oven or directly in the soup. Cooking them in the soup enhances the flavors, but either method works perfectly.
Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze. If freezing, be sure to remove the Parmesan rind.
