Italian Wedding Soup with Escarole

Name: Italian Wedding Soup with Escarole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 360 min
Ingredients: 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 1 cup finely chopped onion (1 large); ⅓ cup fine dry bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley; 1 teaspoon salt; ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef (93% lean); 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth; 3 large carrots, chopped; 2 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed; 1 small head escarole (8 ounces), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch strips; 1 cup dried acini di pepe pasta; Fresh oregano sprigs (optional)

Rating: 3.55 stars

49 Ratings
3 Reviews

Parsley and Parmesan, plus a low and slow cooking method, makes the meatballs in this Italian Wedding Soup recipe tender and delicious.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Recipe Summary

prep:

15 mins

cook:

6 hrs (low)

Servings:

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine eggs, onion, bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Add ground beef; mix well. Shape mixture into forty 1-1/4-inch meatballs. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil; brown meatballs, half at a time. Drain on paper toweling.

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Step 2

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine broth, carrots, dried oregano (if using), the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Gently add meatballs.

Step 3

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 hours, stirring in fresh oregano (if using), pasta, and escarole during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Ladle into bowls. If desired, garnish with oregano sprigs. Soup will thicken upon standing.

For Easy Cleanup:

Line your slow cooker with a disposable slow cooker liner. Add ingredients as directed in recipe. Once your dish is finished cooking, spoon the food out of your slow cooker and simply dispose of the liner. Do not lift or transport the disposable liner with food inside.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

330 calories; 10 g total fat; 3 g saturated fat; 100 mg cholesterol; 1024 mg sodium. 31 g carbohydrates; 3 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 28 g protein; 5685 IU vitamin a; 7 mg vitamin c; 81 mg calcium; 4 mg iron;

Reviews (3)

49 Ratings

5 star values: 15
4 star values: 12
3 star values: 14
2 star values: 1
1 star values: 7

Marisue Zorens

01/23/2015

If you don't parboil your escarole first, look out- your soup will be so bitter it will be inedible. Lots of people use spinach instead for this reason, or a combination of the greens.

Leota Clementi

12/27/2016

This recipe looks really good but I do appreciate your tips. I will definately consider them, Thank you

craigsNY

02/09/2014

Do not add the pasta to the crock pot. The starch will get into the soup and make it much thicker than you'd like especially if there are leftovers. Cook the pasta separately then add at the end. The "wedding" part comes from bringing all of the ingredients together after they have been cooked. And this is a very American dish, despite the name.

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