Italian Wedding Soup

Perfect for a busy weeknight, this Italian Wedding Soup is easy to throw together on the weekend and serve throughout the week. Meatballs, pasta, and fresh vegetables are paired nicely together in this one-pot meal. I made this on Sunday, and ate it while watching the Patriots game (yayyy so happy they won!)  Serve with fresh bread for a warm and comforting meal.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken

1 pound spicy chicken sausage, casings removed

3/4 cup white bread crumbs

3 teaspoons minced garlic (3 cloves)

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup minced yellow onion

1 cup diced carrots, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

1 cup diced celery, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

10 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup orzo pasta (or other small pasta)

12 ounces baby spinach

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the meatballs: place the ground chicken, spicy sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. Drop 1-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through.
3. For the soup: heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the orzo to the broth and cook for about 7 minutes, until the orzo is tender. Add the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted.