Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs or panko
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) for seasoning
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups kale, chopped into pieces and stems removed
• 1/2 cup acini di pepe pasta (can substitute with another tiny pasta such as orzo)
• grated Parmesan for serving

Instructions

1. Line a sheet pan foil or parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. For the meatballs, combine the ground beef, pork, bread crumbs, garlic, Parmesan, egg, oregano,1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and mix gently with your hands until everything is combined
2. With a teaspoon, drop 1 inch meatballs onto the prepared sheet. Roll each meatball into a ball. Bake for 15 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
3. In the meantime, prepare the soup. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic with a pinch of salt and sauté until softened and starting to turn golden 6-8 minutes.
4. Add the chicken stock, increase heat and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the kale and simmer about 2 more minutes. and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. If you used No or Low Sodium Chicken broth, you will probably need to add more salt to taste. Serve with fresh grated parmesan.