A bowl of comfort to start off the New Year, this Italian Wedding Soup is guaranteed to warm you up on a cold day.

The anticipation of 2018 swooping in to chase the final dregs of 2017 aside is undeniably exhilarating and always brings a sense of “How can I top this past year?” At times, the year that is about to end contained more gleeful moments of sunshine that you want to bottle up to ensure the next year of unknowns will be just as wonderful. Other years, your heart is aching to close out a year that was filled with more trials than triumphs. For myself, 2017 has been a year of triumph more so than tenuous disaster. For others, personal struggles may have made the year a bit tougher to navigate through. The beautiful thing about the beginning of a new chapter is that the slate is clean, fresh, and you can approach things with renewed energy and vigor for everyday tasks as well as the momentous events the new year will bring.

In reflection of 2017, I learned immeasurable amounts about myself, my loved ones, and about moving forward from a number of extremely different situations. I am constantly inspired by people’s triumphs and maladies, and try to learn a lesson from each unique situation. One of the things I wanted to incorporate in my daily routine and implement in my life decisions was to approach each new situation with patience and wisdom. This approach served me well in 2017. I intend to continue to integrate that thought in my everyday life for 2018, and hopefully it will continue to serve me well for the everyday debacles that crop up. Sometimes patience is as simple as waiting to order a new rug, or as complex as waiting to hear back some test results. In either situation, though vastly different in the “important life matters” scale, patience is the key to not rashly making a decision which could end up being unwise.

Packed with Umami, the Parmesan rind is the secret weapon for making this soup so delicious.

Patience is integral in recipe testing, in learning the science and nuances of baking, and learning how to accomplish these tasks both fully sighted or with impaired vision. At times, there are recipes I have been making for years successfully, but trying to translate them into measured quantities for a written recipe is extremely difficult because “a pinch of salt” or “smoked paprika until it smells right” does not translate well to someone trying to recreate the recipe at home. My kitchen and palate are going to be different than yours, so natural adjustments are sometimes needed in the moment - that is the spontaneity of cooking. Notating down my favorite things is challenging but rewarding, and I am a firm believer that you are what you eat - I clearly am a Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie :)

A big hunk of crusty bread is the perfect accompaniment to this Italian Wedding Soup.

This recipe for my version of Italian Wedding Soup came together really beautifully and for whatever reason, measuring out proportions properly was not as challenging as it has been in the past. To greet the New Year, a bowlful of this intensely comforting Italian Wedding Soup definitely chased away the colds my husband and I had. The big, tender chicken meatballs you make are subtly flavored but stand on their own without the broth, but the broth is what really makes this soup so delicious. The umami notes that come from the Parmesan cheese rind make this type of chicken soup the perfect winter counterpart to my Lemon Chicken Soup with Kale and Brown Rice.

First, you prepare the Chicken Meatballs. Since there are so few ingredients in the meatballs I urge you to use the best quality Parmesan cheese and Chicken Thighs you can afford. Traditionally, meatballs for this soup are made with a combination of Veal and Beef, but as I do not eat either of those animals, I choose to use Chicken Thighs as there is naturally a little more flavor and fat in that part o the chicken. If you cannot find packaged ground Chicken Thighs, you can get them ground at the meat section of your local butcher or grocery store. I have a tendency to mix all the dry ingredients for the meatballs together in a small bowl first, then add them into a bowl the has the ground meat kind of molded to the sides of the bowl rather than in one big lump in the middle. I do this because when mixing the meatballs together you want to incorporate everything with as little mixing as possible - too much handling of the protein will encourage your little balls of meat to be tough and rubbery which is NOT what you want in a meatball! Then I chose to par bake them in the oven just to help them hold their shape in the broth, which finishes cooking the meatballs through.

The rest of the soup is simple to throw together. All the usual suspects are there, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, etc. The most important thing for the broth is to use a good quality or homemade chicken stock, and to use that rind of Parmesan to help flavor the liquid. Just a quick side note, chicken broth is made by using just chicken meat and vegetables, while chicken stock is made using the bones, meat, and vegetables - stock will almost always have a richer, more complex flavor even if the same vegetables are used if you did a side by side comparison between the two

When Orzo gets Rowdy: super plump and flavorful ,the Orzo pasta soaks up a good bit of the broth overnight.

What results from this combination of simple ingredients is an intensely rich, flavorful broth that is salty, slightly nutty and cheesy, with bites of black pepper and the sweetness of carrots singing through. The vegetables are cooked down so they are meltingly tender, and the Chicken Meatballs are simply seasoned yet a spoonful of everything creates a meaty, cheesy, savory bite. I chose to use Orzo because I like the little pasta best - it reminds me of rice. I add it in when I add in the Spinach, but if you are not a fan of the leftover soup being exploded by enlarged orzo that’s soaked a good chunk of broth I’d recommend cooking your orzo separately then adding in when you serve it.

2018 is off to a brilliant start - one of my favorite soups for the recipe index, and this version of Italian Wedding soup is bound to knock your socks off. I think it is a perfectly delicious way to start off the blank slate of 2018 - straight up comfort food that is decadent and proper nutrition!

Salty, Savory, and undeniably comforting, this Italian Wedding Soup is a keeper for the cold winter months!

Italian Wedding Soup

Author: Iris Anna Gohn

Servings:6-8

This Italian Wedding Soup is a slightly lighter version of the traditional soup as it utilizes Chicken Meatballs rather than the traditional Veal and Beef Meatballs. I chose to par bake mine rather than fry them, as I was looking for a very tender, cloud-like texture then you bite into the meatball.

To make the fresh bread crumbs, if you have a food processor that will probably be the easiest and most painless way to egt the job done efficiently. You also can use it to grate the Parmesan into a fine powder. I you are like me and do not own one, I use a serrated knife and gently shave away the bread which ultimately creates crumbs. This is a longer process so f you have that food processor USE IT!!!

Ingredients

For the Chicken Meatballs:

1 1/2 Pounds Ground Chicken Thighs
1/2 Cup Fresh Bread Crumbs (I made some using this Classic French Bread)
1/2 Cup Grated fine Parmesan Cheese (good quality in a block that has a rind)
1/3 Cup finely chopped Fresh Parsley
1/2 Tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 Tsp Granulated Garlic
1/4 Tsp Onion Powder
1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
1/4 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Eggs, whisked

For the Soup:

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cups chopped Onion (1 large Onion)
1 Cup chopped Celery (2-3 Stalks)
1 Cup chopped Carrots (2-3 Carrots)
1 Tbsp minced Fresh Garlic (2-3 Cloves Garlic)
3/4 Tsp Ground Thyme
1/4 Tsp Ground Sage
1/4 Tsp Dill Weed
1/4 Tsp Sea Salt + more to taste
1/4 Tsp Fresh Cracked Pepper + more to taste
1 4 inch Parmesan rind
10 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Cup Dried Orzo
6 oz. Fresh Spinach
1/2 Cup chopped Fresh Parsley

Directions

For the Chicken Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with Aluminum Foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, shape the ground chicken so that it is molded up the sides of the bowl halfway and even. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the ground chicken and add the egg in. Very gently with your fingers, mix together the ingredients until everything just comes together.
Using a 1 1/2 Tsp measuring spoon, scoop out a rounded amount of the chicken/breadcrumb mixture and gently roll into uniform balls. Space evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes, then add to soup when indicated.

For the Soup:

In a Dutch Oven or 5 qt stockpot over medium high heat, add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. It will smell grassy and fragrant.
Add the onions and a couple grinds of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 7-10 minutes, until onions are starting to caramelize and brown.
Add in the celery and carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
Stir in the thyme, sage, dill, salt and pepper. Stir to thoroughly coat all vegetables.
Add in the chicken stock, Parmesan Rind, and reserved Chicken Meatballs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium/medium low and cover. Simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the parmesan rind does not stick to the bottom.
After 45 minutes, check the vegetables to see if they are done. They should all be nice and meltingly tender. Taste broth and season with a bit more salt and pepper if you like. Add in spinach, parsley, and Orzo.
Cover and cook for another 10minutes - the orzo should be al dente by that point.
Serve with additional cracked pepper, chopped parsley, and parmesan cheese.