Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
• 3 medium carrots, sliced
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4-1/2 teaspoons Crisco® Pure Olive Oil
• 4 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) beef broth
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 4-1/2 teaspoons ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 1-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine eggs and bread crumbs. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture; mix well. Shape into 3/4-in. balls.
• Place meatballs on a greased rack in a foil-lined 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, in a soup kettle or Dutch oven, saute carrots, celery, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the broth, spinach, basil, soup mix, ketchup, thyme and bay leaves.
• Drain meatballs on paper towels. Bring soup to a boil; add meatballs. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Add pasta; cook 13-15 minutes longer or until tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves before serving. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Italian Wedding Soup published in Taste of Home October/November 2006, p29