I had never heard of the Italian American cuisine wedding soup until I saw a recipe for it the other day. Apparently, it is so popular in the Northeastern United States, it is even served in McDonald’s in Pittsburgh. Can any Pittsburgh people confirm this? I suppose I have never heard of it because I am from the South and have never been to Pittsburgh, but it sounds absolutely delicious! Here’s a Californian variation of wedding soup that I hope you will enjoy!
For this recipe, you will need a half pound of extra lean ground beef, eggs, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, Italian flat leaf parsley, green onions, chicken broth, escarole (or spinach), lemon zest, and orzo (rice shaped pasta).
To prep for this recipe, you will need to shred your basil leaves and chop your Italian flat leaf parsley leaves. You will also need to slice two green onions and zest one lemon.
In a medium bowl, mix together the half-pound of ground beef, one lightly beaten egg, 2 tablespoons of Italian breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons of shredded fresh basil leaves, 1 tablespoon of chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, and the two green onions you sliced. Shape this mixture into meatballs about 3/4 inches wide.
Pour 5 3/4 cups of chicken broth into a large saucepan and turn the heat on high. When the chicken broth begins boiling, drop the meatballs into it. Add the 2 cups of escarole or spinach, all of the zest from the lemon, and 1/2 cup of orzo. Let the soup return to boiling then reduce the heat to medium.
Let this cook for 10 minutes, remembering to stir frequently. It is done when the pasta is tender. Before you serve it, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top.