Name: Italian Wedding Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs; 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated; 1/2 tsp italian seasoning; 1/8 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly cracked; 1 lb ground italian sausage, hot, mild, or sweet; 1 eggs, large; 1 yellow onion; 2 cloves garlic; 3 carrot; 3 stalks celery, ribs; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp italian seasoning; 6 cups chicken broth; 1/2 cup small pasta, pearled couscous used in original; 4 cups spinach, fresh; parsley, fresh, chopped

Steps

For the Meatballs:

Start by gathering everything you need for the meatballs. I like making them first because it makes the rest of the recipe go a little faster! You can also shape them a day ahead, or freeze them so they're ready whenever you need them.
In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Give it a good stir so everything is evenly mixed.
In a large bowl, add the Italian sausage, the breadcrumb mixture, and the egg.
Mix everything together with your hands or a fork, just until it's combined.
Divide the mixture and shape it into 20 small meatballs, about 1 Tbsp each. Set them aside for now.

For the Soup:

Gather all your soup ingredients.
Dice the onion, carrots, and celery, and mince the garlic.
Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot and warm it over medium heat. Add the diced vegetables, garlic, and Italian seasoning, then cook until the vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes.
Pour in the chicken broth and stir well. Cover the pot with a lid and bring everything up to a boil.
When the soup is boiling, gently add the meatballs and keep boiling until they're cooked through, about 10 minutes.
(Optional) If you like your meatballs browned, first cook them in a skillet with a little olive oil over medium heat until they're browned on the outside. Then move them to the boiling soup at this point in the recipe to finish cooking.
Stir in the tiny pasta and keep boiling until it's tender, about 6 minutes.
To finish, stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings however you like. Top with parsley if you'd like, then serve hot and enjoy!

Adapted from Budget Bytes.