Italian Wedding Soup

A lighter take on a traditional favorite, this Italian Wedding Soup combines turkey meatballs, white beans, and chard in a clear, savory broth. The meatballs and orzo can also be batched cooked before to save time during a busy week!

Ingredients4 servings

Meatballs

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried fennel seeds

Soup

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup orzo, cooked
• 1 can (15oz) white beans with liquid
• 4 chard leaves, leaves and stems separated, leaves roughly chopped and stems diced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions

1

Make the meatballs: Combine all ingredients for meatballs in a large bowl and mix to combine. Roll into 3/4 inch meatballs.

2

In a large pot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high. Add meatballs, working in batches to avoid overcrowding if needed. Brown on all sides 1-2 minutes then remove to plate.

3

Make the Soup: To the same pot, add remaining olive oil and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add onions, carrots, and diced chard stems. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add chicken broth, beans with liquid from can, Italian seasoning, and parmesan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer. Return cooked meatballs to pot and simmer 10 minutes.

4

Add chard leaves to soup and stir to wilt. Divide pasta between bowls and ladle soup over top. Enjoy warm.

Notes:

• Spinach or another green can be used in the place of the chard
• Cook the orzo pasta according to directions (can be made in advance)

Happy cooking 🥰 ☀️