Italian Wedding Soup

This delicious soup consists of flavourful little meatballs in a savoury broth, along with couscous and spinach. I started eating Italian Wedding Soup as a quick lunch option, from a can, while I was working and I truly thought I enjoyed it. Then I made my own homemade version and can never go back!! My husband often requests it, even though he is no soup fan, which tells you how good it is. Be sure to look for the Israeli (AKA pearl) couscous, as it is much larger than the traditional type. If you can't find it, just use another very small pasta like orzo. The freshly grated parmesan cheese adds an umami, and almost nutty taste to the dish, so try not to skip it.

Serves 6-8

Little Meatballs
1/2lb lean ground beef
1/2lb ground pork or mild Italian sausage
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus some for serving)
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg
1 large clove garlic minced
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Soup Broth
1/8 cup olive oil
1/2 cup carrots finely chopped
1 large yellow onion finely chopped
1 cup celery finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
5 cups chicken stock
5 cups beef stock
1 cup Israeli couscous or other small pasta
5oz fresh baby spinach leaves , tails removed & roughly chopped
3 tbsps fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Directions:
1. Start by making the meatballs. Preheat oven to 420 degrees, place oven rack in upper third of the oven and line a rimmed baking tray with lightly greased foil
2. In a bowl, mix all meatball ingredients together very well. Form into 1/2 inch meatballs (a tiny ice cream scoop really helps here)
3. Place meatballs on the prepared tray and bake for about 12 minutes
4. Switch to broil and watch carefully until the meatballs are nicely browned on top, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven
5. Prepare the soup base by heating the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot, set to medium-high heat (8 out of 10)
6. Add the mirepoix (carrot, onion & celery) and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes, add garlic and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently
7. Stir in chicken and beef broths, salt and pepper, bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes

8. Add meatballs and couscous.
8. Cover and reduce the heat to medium (4 out of 10), simmer until the couscous it just al dente,  about 9 minutes
9. Add the chopped spinach and cook for 1 minute to wilt it
10. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, adjust the seasoning and add the lemon juice
11. Serve with additional paremsan cheese on top and crusty bread like our Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread

Notes:
This soup keeps in the fridge, in an airtight container, for about three days
It is not optimal to freeze, due to the couscous and spinach in it.
The nutritional info is based on using ground pork, not the optional Italian sausage
If you prefer no red meat, you could substitute ground chicken or turkey for the beef/pork mixture
Short on time? Cook off the meatballs a day or two ahead and store in the fridge until ready to use. Just adjust the cooking time up by a few minutes
Save on time for the next batch and cook a double batch of meatballs, cool half and then freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost 24-hrs in the fridge before using.

Nutrition Facts:

Servings: 8

Calories 352

Total Fat 12.1g 15%  Saturated Fat 4g 20%  Cholesterol 68mg 23%  Sodium 684mg 30%  Total Carbohydrate 38.5g 14%  Dietary Fiber 3.3g 12% 

Total Sugars 2.1g Protein 23.1g Vitamin D 3mcg 16%  Calcium 187mg 14%  Iron 4mg 20%  Potassium 638mg 14%

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