Yield: 4 as an entrée soup

Savory Parmesan-Fennel Italian Wedding Soup

You’ll want to say “I do” to every spoonful of this savory Italian wedding soup. Loaded with pungent garlic, delicate leeks, and crunchy fennel at the base—a bowl of this brothy creation will leave you wanting more. Don’t forget the crusty bread for scooping up every last sausage meatball. Read on for the full recipe.

Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4-pound mild Italian sausage
  • 1/4-pound ground beef (such as chuck with a 70% lean and 30% fat ratio)
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 6 large cloves garlic, minced, divided
  • 1/2 small sweet onion, minced
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan, divided (plus the rind for flavoring the broth)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large leek, light green and white parts only, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 medium head fennel, roughly chopped with the fronds reserved (about 1 cup chopped)
  • Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup small Italian pasta like acini di pepe (or orzo)
  • 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 small head of escarole, rough chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400° F and spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the sausage, beef, egg, 2 of the garlic cloves, the onion, 1/4 cup of the parmesan, the parsley, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Gently fold the mixture together, making sure not to overwork the meat.
  3. Using about 1 tablespoon as your size guideline, form the mixture into equal-size meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the meatballs are lightly golden-brown, about 10 minutes.
  4. In a large stock-pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the remaining garlic, leeks, fennel, and red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until the leeks and fennel have softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine and broth and add the parmesan rind. Bring the mixture to a boil. Add in the pasta, lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook until the pasta is tender about 6-8 minutes.
  5. Stir in the meatballs, beans, and escarole. Cook until the beans are heated through and the escarole has wilted about 5 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, remove the parmesan rind, and then divide the soup among bowls.
  6. Garnish with the remaining grated parmesan and fennel fronds and serve hot with crusty bread.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 681Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 2089mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 10gSugar: 10gProtein: 58g