Cheesy Italian Wedding Soup

Submitted by RecipeNut

"I have been making this for the past 3 years on Thasnksgiving! You can make it anytime but it is tradition for us on Thanksgiving."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
• 3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 cups pastina pasta
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• salt
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• grated romano cheese
• grated parmesan cheese

directions

1. To make meatballs: Mix the ground beef, onion powder and garlic powder.
2. To make the meatballs, each meatball is about 3/4 teaspoon.
3. I make them small for the soup, but you can make them whatever size you would like.
4. Cook the meatballs in the olive oil and when they are cooked if you think you want more garlic powder or onion powder add that now.
5. Cook at medium heat in frying pan until cooked.
6. Pour off the drippings and turn up the heat and brown them for a good flavor.
7. Set aside.
8. Put two cans of the chicken broth into a large soup pot.
9. Cut the frozen spinach into several smaller chunks (or let it thaw).
10. Mix the spinach with the chicken broth until it is all unfrozen and seperated.
11. Put the meatballs in with the spinach and broth, set aside.
12. Put the other can of broth in another pan, add a can of water, and some salt.
13. Heat until boiling, and throw the pasta in.
14. Cook until pasta is tender.
15. Dump into the big soup pot with the rest of the soup, and stir over medium heat until simmering.
16. Serve in small soup bowls and plenty of grated Parmesan and Romano cheese on top.
17. Salt and pepper to taste.
18. The cheese makes this recipe so goooood so don't skimp!

Reviews

[FlemishMinx]

My husband and I enjoyed this alot. It is very pretty, too. I was lucky enough to have some REAL romano cheese brought to me by a Roman friend just two days ago :) None of the six previous reviewers mentioned how much garlic and onion powders they used, so I will mention that I used 1 tsp each and thought it was a good start; will probably add just a bit more next time. I discovered it is easy to make the small meatballs by scooping a bit of meat with a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon and dragging it up the side of the mixing bowl. With just a quick roll in the palm you've got your meatball. Thanks for posting.

 

[Bergy]

Really enjoyed this soup.I made the meatball very small I used pearl barley instead of pasta and added a bit of sweet red pepper that was begging to go into something. I ladled the soup into bowls added the cheese and put it into the oven with the top burner on - It got lovely & brown Mmmm Thanks RecipeNut for posting

 

[constantlycooking]

Very yummy! I have made this twice now and it gets gobbled up. It is a little time consuming to make all those little meatballs. I think it is worth it to make them small though. The second time I made the meatballs up ahead of time and froze them. Making the soup was a snap then. Thanks for a recipe I will continue to use.

 

[LizFP]

Perfect.My husband ate 3 bowls.Wouldnt change a thing.Thanks for a great recipe.

 

[Mimi Blum]

This was a winner for Christmas 2004...had it for Christmas dinner and also serve it to company with Baked Ziti, and Salad...what a winner; I will make this again and again. Thank You!