Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs for Italian Wedding Soup
- 1 pound ground turkey (or ground beef, or meatloaf mix)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup (about 1 ounce) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs (or Italian-style bread crumbs)
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb mix (or dried oregano)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated or finely minced1 egg, beaten
Italian Wedding Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped into ½-inch dice
- 2 large carrots, cut into ½-inch dice
- 2 ribs celery, cut into ½-inch dice
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 cups homemade turkey broth (or homemade chicken broth, or low-sodium store-bought broth)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (only if using homemade broth)
- ½ cup Acini di Pepe pasta (or orzo or ditalini pasta)
- Meatballs (from above)
- 2 cups packed baby spinach (or baby kale)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Shape the meatballs (or use frozen): In a large bowl, break up the ground turkey. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, grated Parmesan, bread crumbs, dried herbs, minced parsley, and garlic cloves over the meat. Work the dry ingredients into the meat until evenly mixed. Add the egg and work it into the meat. Scoop the meatballs with a small cookie scoop, or roll the meat mixture into balls to make 1-inch meatballs. (Or buy bite-sized frozen meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter or smaller).
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in an Instant Pot set to Sauté mode - High (or medium-high heat in a stovetop pressure cooker) until the oil starts to shimmer. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté until the onions soften, about 8 minutes.
- Everything in the pot: Stir in the turkey broth (and 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt if using homemade broth), and scrape the bottom of the pot with a flat-edged wooden spoon to make sure nothing is sticking. Stir in the Acini di Pepe pasta, then gently add the meatballs, one at a time, to the pot.
- Pressure Cook for 10 minutes with a Natural Release: Lock the lid and pressure cook at high pressure for 10 minutes (Use "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode in an Instant Pot). Let the pressure come down naturally, about 20 minutes. (If you're in a hurry, let the pressure come down for 15 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure.)
- Add the spinach and pepper, then serve: Unlock the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid the hot steam. Stir in the spinach and fresh ground black pepper, and keep stirring until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls, serve, and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 278
- Sugar: 3.1 g
- Sodium: 664.5 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.5 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 22.3 g
- Cholesterol: 66 mg