Italian Wedding Soup..."Bloated Chef Style"....check out the recipe in the comments section!!

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is lower in calories and adds a cheesy flavor.

chicken

🥗Healthier: turkey

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Turkey is leaner, while ground beef is often more affordable.

bread crumbs

🥗Healthier: oats

💰Cheaper: crushed crackers

Oats are healthier, while crushed crackers can be a cost-effective substitute.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while vegetable oil is often cheaper.

Chop celery and onions finely.

In a bowl, combine unseasoned chicken, finely minced onions, a hefty amount of pepper, and salt.

Add fried garlic and Italian seasoning to the mixture.

Incorporate panko breadcrumbs and eggs as binders into the chicken mixture, mixing thoroughly.

Chop fresh basil finely and mix it into the meat mixture.

Add pecorino cheese to the meat mixture and continue mixing.

Form meatballs about half an ounce each, keeping hands moist to shape them easily.

On the stovetop, prepare chicken stock using turkey bones and chicken necks.

Strain the chicken stock to remove solids, keeping the liquid for the soup base.

Preheat a pan and add a knob of butter and extra virgin olive oil.

Sear the meatballs in the pan until browned on one side, then turn them to brown the other side.

Remove the meatballs from the pan and add chopped celery and onions, seasoning with pepper and a light dose of salt.

Add more Italian seasoning and stir to sweat the vegetables.

Incorporate garlic into the vegetable mixture and cook down.

Add spinach and arugula to the pan and cook for about five minutes until wilted.

Pour in xiaoxing wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the fond.

Add about a quarter cup of flour to the mixture to thicken the soup.

Slowly add the prepared chicken stock, incorporating the flour until well mixed.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the meatballs back in.

Lower the heat and let it come to a hard simmer.

Add more chicken stock until the desired consistency is reached and bring to a rolling boil again.

Add mini pasta to the boiling soup and turn off the heat, mixing to prevent sticking.

Serve the soup in a bowl, adding five meatballs, broth, a pinch of pecorino romano, and basil for garnish.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens