Italian Wedding Soup

I've been trying to make more classic dishes lately because some people think I make stuff that's too out there (cough:trish:cough...just kidding!)... so I decided to do my take on Italian Wedding Soup! I love meatballs poached in soup, they're so tender, and I love spinach and how it has a creamy taste in a broth based soup. It's actually very healthy, and easy! I served it with some crusty bread and a tossed italian salad.

Italian Wedding Soup

Meatballs:
1 tbsp. fresh minced italian herbs
1/2 small onion, grated
1 egg
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp. grated parmesan

salt and pepper
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
6 oz. lean ground beef


Soup:
1 tbsp. EVOO
1/2 yellow onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
8 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. stars pasta
1 c. frozen leaf spinach, thawed and drained well
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
1 tbsp. fresh minced oregano
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes


Heat a large soup pot over low heat. Add EVOO, onion and garlic. Season and sweat out veggies for 5 minutes, do not brown!
Add stock, and turn heat to high. Cover and bring to a low boil.
While stock begins to boil, mix together all meatball ingredients. Divide into fourths. From each fourth, form 6 mini meatballs.
Turn the stock down to medium heat, and drop in meatballs as they're formed.
Once finished, add in stars and cover. Cook for 8 minutes.
Add in spinach and herbs. Taste and season.
Serve immediately, top with grated parmesan.


Note: If you're not serving this immediately, you might want to cook the pasta serperately, and stir into the soup when you're ready to eat so the stars don't overcook.


PS - It's hard to take photos of broth based soup!!!