Easy Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock
- 1 cup small pasta, such as ditalini, acini de pepe, or orzo
- 4 packed cups (4 to 5 ounces) spinach or escarole, stems removed and roughly torn
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or as needed
Instructions
- 1
Fry the "meatballs" - Roll the ground sausage into 1-inch "meatballs" and place on a plate. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Fry the meatballs on all sides, working in batches if necessary, about 10 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- 2
Sauté the garlic and onion - In the same pot (don't wipe it out), sauté the onion until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant and soft, another 1 to 2 minutes.
- 3
Add the pasta - Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce to a simmer and add the pasta and browned meatballs. Simmer until the pasta is barely al dente according to the package directions, about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally, ensuring the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- 4
Finish and serve - Add the spinach and simmer until the spinach is dark and wilted and the pasta is cooked, another 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and taste. To serve, optionally drizzle with good-quality olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
