Really, it’s called “Italian Wedding Soup” but with a name like that, we weren’t sure you would give it a try…
Minestra is soup in Italian, and maritata means “married.” Minestra maritata ended up being called “wedding soup” but it’s definitely not served at Italian weddings. It’s just a marriage (and a very good one) of meat and vegetables, some greens and in some cases, pasta too.
This soup is all about the combination of ingredients. And like a good shidduch, it comes together beautifully!
I love this soup because it’s literally a meal in a bowl. Pull it out from your freezer on a cold winter night, or when your dinner is a bit “lacking.” This soup is nutritious and comforting.
Start by combining the meatball ingredients in a bowl.
Mix well
and cover with plastic wrap.
Heat oil in a soup pot. Add onions, garlic, and leek and sauté until softened. Add green pepper and salt. Continue to sauté until vegetables are starting to brown.
Add carrots, celery kohlrabi and zucchini, and sweat vegetables for about 5 minutes, mixing continuously.
While soup is cooking, start working on the meatballs. Form small balls and fry in a bit of oil, in batches.
Once soup vegetables are softened, add a can of diced tomatoes, and rinsed cannellini beans.
Add meatballs to the pot
just until meatballs are warmed through. Turn off heat and add a handful of fresh spinach to the soup.
The spinach will wilt and soften. Serve soup and meatballs,
enjoy!
Hearty Minestrone With Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1.5 lbs ground beef and chicken combined
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- oil, for frying
For the soup:
- 2-3 tbsp oil
- 2 small onions, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 leek stalk, sliced thinly
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 carrots, diced
- 4 stalks of celery, diced
- 1-2 kohlrabi, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- chicken stock (or water and consommé)
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans
- 1 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- handful of fresh spinach
Instructions
- Start by combining the meatball ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate. (Refrigerating the mixture will make it easier to form the meatballs.)
- Heat oil in a soup pot. Add onions, garlic, and leek and sauté until softened. Add green pepper and salt. Continue to sauté until vegetables are starting to brown.
- Add carrots, celery kohlrabi and zucchini, and sweat vegetables for about 5 minutes, mixing continuously.
- Add chicken stock to cover (or water and consomme) vegetables and bring to a boil. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 30 minutes.
- While soup is cooking, start working on the meatballs. Form small balls and fry in a bit of oil, in batches. Make sure all sides are browned. Once fried, transfer meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.
- Once soup vegetables are softened, add a can of diced tomatoes, and rinsed cannellini beans. Season and bring back to a simmer. Add meatballs to the pot. Let simmer for about 5-10 minutes just until meatballs are warmed through. Turn off heat and add a handful of fresh spinach to the soup. The spinach will wilt and soften. Serve soup and meatballs, enjoy!
Notes
This was amazing! Made it for dinner tonight! The flavors come together really nicely. I did 2 lbs of meat/chicken and the picky kids had just the meatballs with spaghetti.
Good idea! Did the meatballs cook through when frying? Or you cooked them in the soup and pulled them out?
Just made this! Definitely the best minestrone soup I’ve ever tasted!
Made this tonight for dinner. was delicious and so hearty!
Delicious soup – the flavors came together so well. It was worth the time it took to fry the meatballs. Thanks for another winner!
why do you need to cook the meatballs first? why can’t they cook in the soup
Best best recipe!!!!!! I made it tonight and it was delicious! I used frozen Kibbe hamdah balls instead of meatballs because it was quicker then making a meatball mixture and rolling all the meatballs myself. I actually LOVED the texture of the kibbeh balls in the soup and wld definitely do it again!
When would I add pasta?