Italian(ish) Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

I should start by saying that this is a VERSION of Italian Wedding Soup, and this version does not contain gluten or dairy (i.e. pasta or parmesan) as it is written. This version is more of a “blank canvas” type of soup, and pairs well with lots of other ingredients — think: pasta, beans, other vegetables, or a parmesan rind.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

• 2 medium celery, diced (about 1 cup)

• 1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)

• 2 cloves garlic, sliced

• 2-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 8 fl oz dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio

• 2 quarts chicken stock (make your own, or find a tasty purchased version, since this is the backbone of the soup)

• 1 pound Italian sausage, formed into meatballs (or links of raw sausage, sliced 1”)

• 1 bunch kale, washed (I like curly kale for this, but any green variety will do) and sliced into 1/2” ribbons

• salt to taste

• optional additions: grated parmesan (or any hard cheese), cooked pasta, cooked garbanzo beans

METHOD

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a soup or stock pot with a lid.

2. Add carrots, celery, and onion, and saute until soft — about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add garlic and stir just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then pour in wine.

4. Cook wine with vegetables until it’s mostly evaporated, then add in chicken stock.

5. Gently add the meatballs to the hot liquid, then place kale over meatballs and cover pot with lid and cook for about 5 minutes.

6. Once the kale is softened and the meatballs are cooked through, taste soup for seasoning. If the stock was unsalted, begin with adding 1 teaspoon of salt. (If stock was seasoned, definitely taste the soup before adding more salt, since sodium amounts in stock vary widely.)

7. Serve as is, or with the addition of cheese or pasta.