Comparing this soup to an Italian Wedding Soup would be clutching at straws, but then again three of the main character ingredients (meatballs, tiny pasta, greens) are present here too. Let’s just say that is an Italian Wedding Soup that went backpacking across the entire Asian continent on its gap year and picked up spices and mannerisms along the way.
We can’t talk about Italian Wedding Soup without questioning its origins. There a few theories as to why it’s called a *wedding* soup. Theory #1, per Wikipedia: it was born out of the mistranslation of “minestra maritata” (married soup), which is actually a reference to the flavour produced by the combination or "marriage" of greens and the meat.
Theory #2, per this random blog I came across recently: the dish was served at weddings to give the newlywed couple energy to consummate their marriage.
Whichever theory you choose to believe - you really can’t go wrong with the marriage of tiny pasta, mini meatballs, soft veggies, and flavourful broth.
Before we get to the recipe, credit where credit is due! This soup was heavily inspired and informed by the following two/three legendary ladies:
crispyegg420’s recent post, see below. Bettina is one of my idols (not least of all for being kale sauce’s publicist) - everything she makes looks like it could fix me. It seems that she, in turn, was inspired by a recipe from Jess Damuck’s new book, Health Nut, which I haven’t been able to get my hands on in Germany but will be ordering as soon as I can.
mollybaz’s Pickle Balls. This recipe has irrevocably cemented itself into my weekly rotation - it’s fresh, it’s healthy, it’s delicious, and the act of chopping everything is so therapeutic. The only thing I haven’t been able to recreate is her perfect meatball roundness. According to Google, adding more fat to the meatballs, or freezing them for about 30 min before cooking them can help?
THE BALLS
You can find the exact instructions in the YouTube video - I made a few small changes, my take is written out below! This will make a lot of meatballs and I recommend using most of them à Molly, and sparing a few for the soup, but you can adjust amounts as needed.
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 tb olive oil
1 tb fennel seeds
1 tb coriander seeds
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp flaky salt
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 cup (loosely packed) FINELY chopped parsley, mint, coriander, dill
1/4 cup chopped spring onion
1 garlic cloves, minced
400g minced turkey (or whichever minced meat you like)
Instructions
Whisk the eggs and the olive oil in a bowl, then add in the panko and stir well to create a kind of paste.
Add in the salt, chilli flakes, and fennel and coriander seeds. Add in the herbs, spring onions, and minced garlic, then incorporate half of the minced meat. Gradually add the rest of the meat without “overhandling” the mixture, as this will result in tough meatballs.
In Molly’s original recipe, she makes golf-ball sized balls and cooks them in the oven - I went for XL marbles here and decided to pan-fry them, because I thought the fond (the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan) would add lots of flavour to the finished soup (and I was right). The stock is super rich on its own, but the added fond and toasted fennel and coriander seeds take it to the next level.
THE STOCK
This was featured in last week’s Stock 101 newsletter - re-sharing it here today because it’s delicious and too good to gatekeep. The recipe below makes about a litre, use it however you please!
This stock is suuuuper decadent. We start by browning everything, then simmering it low and slow for a good 2 hours with some kombu to extract maximum flavour. Miso is your friend in plant-based recipes - it’s super healthy and adds delicate, savoury, richness. Kombu, a dried seaweed, also adds in lots of umami layers.
Ingredients
2 tb toasted sesame oil
1 onion, halved
1 knob of ginger (optional), cut into thin slices
1 head of garlic, halved
2 cups fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup brown miso paste
1/2 cup dried mushrooms (I used a mix of shiitake and porcini)
An A5-sized piece of Kombu seaweed
1 tb black peppercorns
1 tb salt
1.5 litres water
Instructions
Heat the sesame oil in a pot, then add in the onion, ginger, and garlic cut-side-down. Sear for about 5 minutes until very fragrant, and slightly burnt.
Add in the fresh mushrooms and the miso paste and stir everything well, to ensure everything is coated in the miso. Continue cooking for another solid 5 minutes.
Add in the dried mushrooms, kombu, peppercorns, and salt, then cover in water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 2 hours, allowing the stock to reduce significantly. Strain and discard the solids, and enjoy as a soup base. This stock is the perfect match for chewy noodles, bouncy meatballs, or any kind of squishy grain.
ASSEMBLING THE SOUP
Ingredients (serves 1, so multiply as needed)
2/3 cup of the meatball mixture from above
4 tb olive oil
1/2 an onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1.5 cups stock, from above
1/4 cup orzo
4 cabbage leaves
To garnish: chopped parsley & creme fraiche & olive oil
Instructions
Roll up your meatballs. You will make your life easier by lightly oiling your hands beforehand :)
Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, or a large pot. Pop the meatballs in one by one and cook for about 10 minutes in total, turning so that most sides get nice and golden.
Remove the meatballs and set them aside, then add in another tablespoon of olive oil and add in the onion and garlic. Stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up some of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and sauté until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with a bit of stock and continue cooking for 5 or so minutes.
Meanwhile, lay out the cabbage leaves and cut out the tough inner stem, then roll them up and cut thin slices.
Add in the rest of the stock, the cabbage leaves, and the orzo. Cook for 7 minutes or until the orzo is ready.
Garnish the soup with creme fraiche, chopped parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.
If you made it this far, thank you for being here! If you enjoyed this, please drop me a line or click the heart below, my ego and my little heart would be ever so grateful.
looks so good! and orzo is the best!