Italian Wedding Soup

Food and Wine Magazine

What's the Real Story of Wedding Soup?

There's a soup made of broth, vegetables, pasta, and teeny-tiny meatballs that we all know and love as "Italian wedding soup."

But why? Why it is called wedding soup?

Some say that, long ago, the soup was created as a hearty meal to fortify the bride and groom with enough strength and vigor to ensure a "memorable" night of wedded bliss. 

Although this story might be tantalizing, it is a misunderstanding of the Italian name: Minestra maritata, wedding soup, is a reference not to a matrimony of couples, but rather a blending or harmony of flavors. Savory bits of meat, salty broth, sweet onions, and bitter greens create a melange of tastes and textures that meld—or marry—together.
Originally this soup was not a sumptuous feast reserved for only the finest of occasions. It's actually a peasant dish made of broth, whatever leftover meats might be found (or none at all), and whatever bitter greens were in season. The Americanized version (the one we enjoy today) is a much heartier fare, bulked up with more vegetables and plump little morsels of pasta.

You don't have to eat at an Italian restaurant to get a good bowl of this soup, nor do you have to settle for second- (or third-) best from a can. You can actually make this at home. Let me explain to you each of the components and how they work together to make this "marriage" of flavors.

Let's get started.

Italian Wedding Soup

Step 1: Make the Meatballs

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound ground turkey (7 percent fat)
• 1/2 pound turkey sausage, casings removed
• 2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the ground turkey, turkey sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, cheese, cream, and egg in a large mixing bowl. Combine gently. (You might wish to use a fork, but I do it the old-fashioned nonna way, with my fingertips). Don't be too heavy-handed with your mixing or your meatballs will be tough.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and space them evenly on the pan (you should have about 48 meatballs).
4. Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the Broth

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
• 2 or 3 carrots, peeled and cut into small dice (1 cup)
• 2 stalks of celery tender inner stalks and leaves, cut into fine dice (1 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 10 cups homemade chicken stock

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a stockpot over low heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring several times, until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and continue to cook until the vegetables begin to soften. Don't let the garlic brown; it will burn and become bitter.
2. Stir in the wine and increase the heat to medium. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated then stir in the chicken stock.

Step 3: Cook the Greens, Pasta, and Finish the Soup

Ingredients

• 12 ounces greens, washed, center ribs removed, and sliced into thin ribbons
• 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini

Instructions

1. Bring the broth to a simmer. Add the greens, stir and cover. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the greens are wilted and tender.
2. Add the pasta and continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
3. Add the meatballs to the soup and simmer until heated, about 1-2 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.

Yield: 8 servings

Goulash Soup



We are enjoying a beautiful "Indian Summer". The mornings are cool--it was 41 degrees F. this morning when I retrieved my newspaper from the front porch. This afternoon we have sunshine, beautiful clear skies, and mid-70's. The days are warm and sunny, but as soon as the sun begins to set, there is a chill in the air. It's time to make another pot of soup.

Today I'm remembering a recipe I've had for years and years (and years). It's called "Goulash Soup". Goulash (for the uninitiated) is a Hungarian stew of meat (take your pick), vegetables (whatever you have), and a healthy dose of paprika. Comfort food at its finest.

Goulash Soup

Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef for stew, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/2 pound potatoes, grated (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 tablespoon paprika (I prefer smoked paprika)
• 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 3/4 pounds potatoes, pared and diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup dry noodles

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat; add about 1/3 of the beef to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until browned on all sides. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining beef. It is important to not crowd the pan. If the pieces of beef are too close together they will not brown properly--instead they will simply steam.
2. Add more oil to the pan as needed.
3. To the same pan stir in the onions and cook until onions begin to brown. Return browned beef chunks to the pan. Stir in remaining ingredients except diced potatoes and noodles. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and cover. Simmer 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Note that the grated potatoes will fall apart--they are intended to thicken the soup.
4. Stir in diced potatoes and noodles and continue to cook until potatoes and noodles are cooked through.

Photo Credit: Image by annaklein from Pixabay 

Red Pepper Fish Chowder



The Autumn Equinox has descended upon us with full furry. As I write, a cold rain is coming down in sheets and tree branches are flying past the windows (on the second floor of our house!) But for even this I am thankful. Today's storm means that I don't have to turn the sprinklers on the flowers I planted last week, I have many indoor projects that can now receive my undivided attention (two quilts and a basket of knitting yarn), and I have an excuse to prepare a big pot of fish chowder for dinner:

Red Pepper Fish Chowder

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 red onions, minced
• 1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large red bell peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed and diced (do not peel)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup sour cream (not the non-fat variety)
• 1 1/2 pounds white fish (such as cod or halibut)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup parsley, minced (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan. Add the onions, mushrooms, and red peppers. Saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add the diced potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir together the cornstarch, water, and sour cream. Stir this mixture into the hot broth, whisking constantly, until the broth begins to thicken.
4. Add the fish and simmer 5 minutes more or until fish is cooked. Stir in lemon juice. Ladel chowder into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

Photo Credit: Image by Jack Hernandez from Pixabay 

Carb Diva Cinnamon Rolls (Otherwise Known as Manna from Heaven)

Autumn begins in just three more days, but our little corner of the world is already knee-deep into Fall weather. Leaves are falling and pumpkins are changing from green to glowing orange. In my front yard squirrels scurry about gathering hazelnuts. Today marked the second week of school, and I am delighted that Tuesday morning Bible study has resumed.

It was such a joy to once again fellowship and study God's word with this little group of people. A few were absent due to illness, but we pray that they will gain strength and healing and be able to join us again soon.

As our meeting time is 10:00 a.m. (and we're Lutherans with an ever-present pot of coffee), our gathering centers around the Bible, and brunch. Each of us contributes something--sometimes a homemade coffee cake, or a package of cinnamon rolls from the local bakery, crackers and cheese, or fresh produce from one's garden.

My dear friend Mary was there, and she brought a wonderful treat from a local store--I think it was called "Sin-Dawg" bread--"Sin" for the cinnamon and "Dawg" representing the local nickname for our beloved University of Washington Huskies. How could something advertised as the "healthiest cinnamon roll in the world" (100 percent whole grain) be so amazingly yummy?

I'd like to share with Mary and the rest of you the antithesis of Dave's Sin-Dawg bread--a cinnamon roll recipe I've used for years. It's not whole grain, it's not healthy, and although it might show up at next week's Bible study it certainly isn't manna from Heaven, (but it probably has the "Sin" part down pretty good!)

Carb Diva Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup instant mashed potato flakes
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 packages (4 1/2 teaspoons) dry yeast (not instant)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 5 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• 1/2 cup raisins, optional

Instructions

1. In large bowl, mix boiling water and potato flakes. Add milk, oil, salt, sugar, yeast and beat well. Add eggs and mix until blended. Add 4 1/2 cups of the flour, one cup at a time, until all flour is incorporated.
2. Sprinkle remaining one cup flour on board. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Put in warm place and let rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
3. Punch down dough gently. Divide into two equal  portions. Roll each into 10x15-inch rectangle. Spread 1/4 cup melted butter on each portion. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly on each dough rectangle. Add nuts and/or raisins if desired. Roll up, starting at long edge and cut each roll into 6 cinnamon rolls.
4. Place cut rolls in 9x13-inch baking pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Let rolls rise for 1 hour. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.