Italian Wedding Soup

Using a teaspoon as your measuring guide, scoop small portions of the sausage and roll them into tiny meatballs. Brown the sausage meatballs lightly in the pan, working in batches so they cook evenly. Once they’ve taken on some color, set them aside — they’ll finish cooking later — and there’s no need to wipe the pan before continuing.

Dice 1 whole yellow onion, along with 1 cup each of celery and peeled carrots. Stem the kale and roughly chop 2 cups of the leaves so they’re ready to add to the soup. You can also use spinach in place of the kale if you prefer — it softens quickly and gives the soup a more traditional Italian‑wedding‑soup feel.

Add the diced celery, onions, and carrots to the same skillet used to cook the meatballs, along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook them over medium heat for 7–8 minutes until they begin to soften. Then add 1 tablespoon of garlic powder to the sautéed vegetables and cook for another 1–2 minutes, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Add 5 cups of chicken broth to the skillet and bring it to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and return the meatballs to the skillet. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer on low for 15–20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs are fully cooked, gently stirring from time to time as it cooks.

In a medium saucepan, bring pasta water to a boil and cook the Acini Di Pepe according to the package instructions. Cooking the pasta separately keeps the broth clear and light, preventing it from becoming starchy and thick, and also stops the pasta from soaking up the broth.

About 10 minutes before the soup is finished, stir in the kale so it softens but still keeps a bit of texture.

Stir in the drained and rinsed cannellini beans so they can warm through and blend into the soup.

Lastly, fold in the drained pasta and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes so everything comes together. Serve warm with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy!