Chef John's Italian Wedding Soup

21 Ratings
  • 5 17
  • 4 4
  • 3 0
  • 2 0
  • 1 0

Don't wait for a wedding to make this delicious and comforting soup with kale, tiny pasta, and tender little beef meatballs.

Gallery

Read the full recipe after the video.
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Recipe Summary

cook:
4 hrs 40 mins
additional:
1 hr
total:
6 hrs 10 mins
prep:
30 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
8 servings
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

8
Original recipe yields 8 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified
Beef Stock:
Meatballs:

Directions

  • Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot over high heat; brown beef shank slice in hot oil until seared and browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Add onion, carrot, celery, water, bay leaf, 3 cloves peeled garlic, and black peppercorns; bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer until meat falls off the bone and stock turns brown in color, 4 to 5 hours. Add more water if beef stock level gets below about 5 cups.

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  • Place beef short ribs into freezer until firm and very cold, about 15 minutes. Cut meat into cubes and return to freezer until almost frozen, about 30 more minutes.

  • Whisk egg with parsley, 2 cloves garlic, and cream in a bowl. Stir in bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

  • Place partially-frozen beef cubes into food processor and pulse with with 1/3 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper until beef is coarsely ground, 5 to 10 pulses. Pulse in bread crumb mixture until mixture is finely ground, about 5 more pulses. Transfer meat to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

  • Strain beef stock into a large soup pot, discarding beef and vegetables. Mix chicken broth into beef stock and whisk in tomato paste. Bring broth mixture to a simmer and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir kale into broth; simmer kale until tender, about 15 minutes.

  • Scoop 2-teaspoon portions of the meat mixture and roll into meatballs.

  • Pour pastina into the simmering soup, cook for 5 minutes, and gently add meatballs. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through and tender, about 15 minutes. Serve in bowls garnished with a pinch of black pepper or a sprinkle of shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Cook's Note:

To make fresh bread crumbs, cut crusts from fresh Italian bread, cut bread into cubes, and process in a food processor into fine crumbs, 10 to 30 seconds.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
214 calories; protein 14.5g; carbohydrates 16.8g; fat 10.2g; cholesterol 47mg; sodium 712.9mg. Full Nutrition
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