Italian Wedding Soup with Escarole

(49)

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

Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
6 hrs
Total Time:
6 hrs 15 mins
Servings:
8

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

  • 1 cup finely chopped onion (1 large)

  • cup fine dry bread crumbs

  • 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

  • 2 tablespoon snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1 ½ pound lean ground beef (93% lean)

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 8 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

  • 3 large carrots, chopped

  • 2 tablespoon 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)

Directions

  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.

  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.

  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.

    Italian Wedding Soup with Escarole

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
10g Fat
31g Carbs
28g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 330
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 100mg 33%
Sodium 1024mg 45%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 28g
Vitamin C 7.1mg 36%
Calcium 80.8mg 6%
Iron 4mg 22%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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