Tag: pasta

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

Your whole family will love this Italian wedding soup with delicious meatballs, healthy vegetables, and pasta, all cooked in a savory broth. 

I absolutely love a good soup, and when your entire family gives it two thumbs up (even the picky eater), you know you have a winner. With this soup, you have your complete dinner in one bowl; protein, pasta, and lots of vegetables! This means less time spent making dinner and fewer dirty dishes.

What is Italian Wedding Soup?

No, it is not a traditional soup served at weddings in Italy. The name wedding comes from the Italian phrase “minestra maritata,” which means ‘married soup.’  Why is it married? It’s the marriage of ingredients, and the resulting delicious flavor in the soup.

An authentic Italian Wedding soup will always have these two ingredients; green vegetables and meat. When it comes to vegetables, it is common to use lettuce, kale, spinach, or cabbage. Meat is usually represented by some type of meatballs or sausage.

What Type of Pasta is Best?

Any type of small pasta will work. The most common types of pasta used in Italian wedding soups are the smallest types; acini de pepe, pastina, or orzo pasta. They can be found amongst the other pasta in most grocery stores. 

How to Make this Recipe

Start with the meatballs. 

  • Combine all the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl (it’s easiest to use your hands to mix).

  • Form into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

  • Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Check that the meatballs are done with a kitchen thermometer. It should read at least 160°F.

  • Set the meatballs aside a prepare the soup.

Next, make the soup.

  • Add the chopped carrots, celery, and onions to a pan with a little oil. Cook until tender. This takes about 20 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth, dried parsley, dried basil, ground pepper, and salt. Bring almost to a boil.
  • Add the pasta, cover, and turn down the heat to medium. Cook the pasta until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the meatballs and spinach, and continue to cook the soup over medium-low heat. Cook until the spinach has wilted and the meatballs are heated through; about 5 minutes.
  • Ladle the soup into the bowls, garnish with parmesan cheese and serve.

Using Frozen Spinach

  • You may also use a 6-ounce package of frozen spinach.
  • Let it thaw, pat it dry, and add it at the end. Give it a few minutes to heat before serving.

Storage

  • Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze in an airtight container for 3-4 months.
  • When reheating the soup, the pasta will have soaked up some of the broth, and the soup will be thicker. If needed, you can add a little more broth to the soup before reheating it to thin the soup a bit.

Italian Wedding Soup

Your whole family will love this Italian wedding soup with delicious meatballs, healthy vegetables, and pasta, all cooked in a savory broth. 
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Soup
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
 

Meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground turkey or pork
  • ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Soup:

  • 1-2 tablespoons oil
  • 1½ cups chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup acini de pepe, pastina or orzo pasta**
  • 6 ounces baby spinach
  • grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions
 

Meatballs:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
  • Mix the turkey or pork, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, parsley, and salt together in a medium bowl. It is easiest to use your hands to mix the ingredients.
  • Shape mixture into meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Check for doneness with a thermometer, which should read at least 160°F. Set aside while you finish the soup.

Soup:

  • Add the oil to a large pot and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the chopped carrots, celery, and onions and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.
  • Pour in the chicken broth. Then add the parsley, basil, pepper, and salt. Heat until the soup is hot and steaming.
  • Turn the heat down to medium, add the pasta and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the pasta is done, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Add the meatballs and spinach and stir. Continue to cook the soup over medium-low heat until the spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes. Sample the soup and add more salt to taste, if needed.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated parmesan cheese (optional).

Notes

**If you like a brothier soup, you can reduce the pasta to 1/2 cup. Note that as the soup sits, the pasta will absorb more broth, so you can add more broth to thin the soup as desired.
Using Frozen Spinach:
  • You may also use a 6-ounce package of frozen spinach.
  • Let it thaw, pat it dry, and add it at the end. Give it a few minutes to heat before serving.
Storage:
  • Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze in an airtight container for 3-4 months.
  • When reheating the soup, the pasta will have soaked up some of the broth, and the soup will be thicker. If needed, you can add a little more broth to the soup before reheating it to thin the soup a bit.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!

GARLIC BREAD SPREAD

The perfect garlic bread recipe – Perfectly crisp edges, a soft buttery center, and topped with fresh garlic and herbs. The ideal accompaniment to any Italian dinner.

Sure, you can buy garlic bread spread at the grocery store, but once you see how easy it is to make and discover how much better it tastes when it’s homemade, you’ll never buy the premade stuff again! I guarantee it!

WHAT TYPE OF BREAD IS BEST?

Many grocery stores sell giant loaves of Italian or French bread hot from their bakery every day. These loaves are perfect for garlic bread because they soak up all that buttery goodness really well. You can even also use a baguette if that’s what you have available.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • softened butter
  • grated parmesan cheese
  • minced garlic
  • dried marjoram
  • dried basil
  • dried oregano
  • fresh parsley
  • salt
  •  one loaf of French or Italian bread

Steps for Making Garlic Spread

Gather all your ingredients and mix them in a small bowl. Mix until the butter is smooth and creamy and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.

Split the loaf of bread in half the long way. Place the bread on a large baking sheet. Spread a generous amount of the garlic spread on both halves of the bread. 

Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. (More tips and tricks below for that perfect, golden-brown garlic bread).

TIPS FOR THE PERFECT GARLIC BREAD:

  • Make sure your butter is softened, not melted. If you forget to set your butter out ahead of time, try this hack to get your butter soft quickly.
    • Pour hot water into a ceramic or glass cup or bowl (something that can fit over your butter). After a few minutes, dump the water out of the vessel and quickly cover your butter. The radiant heat from the bowl will soften your butter in just a few minutes.
  • After baking the bread for 8 to 10 minutes, move the oven rack closer to the broiler. Turn on the broiler and let the bread broil for about 45 seconds to 3 minutes until golden brown. Keep an eye on it; it can brown very quickly. I usually have the oven door open a crack and watch it closely the entire time. If you get distracted even for a minute, you can end up with burnt garlic bread.
  • After baking the bread, depending on the type of bread you use, it can be hard to cut bread without squishing it. Simply flip the bread over on a cutting board, with the butter side down, and slice with a bread knife. The crust acts as a support, and the bread will cut easily without smashing the slices. Because the butter and herbs have melted and baked into the bread, very little, if any, should come off on the cutting board. With this trick, you will have beautiful-looking slices of garlic bread every time.

VARIATIONS:

Nothing is set in stone with this kind of recipe. You can make the recipe exactly as it is written or change it based on what you like.

  • Garlic: I LOVE garlic, so I use a lot of it in this recipe. But you can adjust the amount based on your personal preference. You can even add roasted garlic (just use a lot).
  • Herbs: This recipe has several different herbs, which gives this spread a great depth of flavor. You can simply omit any you don’t like or add in new ones (rosemary, thyme, etc.).
  • Fresh herbs vs. dried: Most of the herbs in this recipe are dried (except the parsley). However, if you prefer to use all fresh herbs, you certainly can. Just use 1 teaspoon each of finely chopped fresh marjoram, basil, oregano, and of course, 1/4 cup of fresh parsley.
  • Make it cheesy: If you like your garlic bread cheesy, try topping your garlic bread with a hefty handful of shredded mozzarella.

Serve this garlic bread with my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Baked Sausage Meatballs for a complete meal!

Garlic Bread Spread

The perfect garlic bread recipe - Perfectly crisp edges, a soft buttery center, and topped with fresh garlic and herbs. The ideal accompaniment to any Italian dinner.
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Bread
Servings 1 French loaf

Ingredients
 

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2-4 large garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
  • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley, (1 tablespoon dried parsley)
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 loaf French or Italian bread

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, marjoram, basil, oregano, and parsley until thoroughly combined.
  • Split the loaf of bread in half the long way. Place the bread on a large baking sheet. Spread a generous amount of the garlic spread on both halves of the bread.
  • Bake the bread in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.
  • Then, move the oven rack closer to the broiler and let the bread broil for 45 seconds to 3 minutes. Watch the bread closely; it can brown very quickly. When the bread is toasted to your liking, remove it from the oven.
  • Slice the bread to the desired size and serve immediately.
    **If you have trouble slicing the bread without squishing it, flip it over on a cutting board, butter side down, and using a bread knife, slice the bread to the desired size.

Notes

If you prefer to use all fresh herbs, you certainly can. Just use 1 teaspoon each of finely chopped fresh marjoram, basil, oregano, and of course 1/4 cup of fresh parsley.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!

HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Homemade spaghetti sauce doesn’t need to be complex or time-consuming to be delicious. You just need good, quality ingredients to make a sauce full of amazing flavor. This recipe is perfect for making large batches to feed a crowd or freezing for quick, easy meals later.

Spaghetti night is a favorite in our house. Everyone loves it and leaves the table satisfied and happy. It’s one of those meals that doesn’t need to be overly complex or time-consuming to be amazing!

For years, I thought homemade spaghetti sauce must be hard to make or at least hard to make really good. So I bought spaghetti sauce in a jar. It wasn’t bad; we enjoyed it. But I finally decided to develop my own recipe for homemade spaghetti sauce that was both easy and delicious. And here it is! I will never go back to spaghetti sauce in a jar again.

Best Tomatoes to Use:

The best spaghetti sauce is made using crushed San Marzano tomatoes. San Marzano is a variety of plum tomatoes with a more robust flavor and are sweeter and less acidic. You can usually find canned San Marzano tomatoes at your grocery store. But there are times I can’t find this variety, so I have used other brands of crushed tomatoes or fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, and the sauce still turns out amazing. So whichever type or brand you use, be sure they are crushed tomatoes.

Adding Meat to the Sauce:

If you like to have meat in your spaghetti sauce, you certainly can add it. I love to use ground pork sausage in my sauce, or you can use ground beef. You can brown the meat with the onions (be sure to cook it thoroughly), draining off the extra fat, or cook the meat separately and add it to the sauce at the end.

We love meatballs with our spaghetti, and my Baked Sausage Meatballs complement this sauce perfectly. The meatballs are full of flavor and baked to perfection! And don’t forget the garlic bread with homemade Garlic Bread Spread!

Freezing Instructions:

It’s easy to freeze any leftovers to use later or make a larger batch with the intent to freeze for future use. Allow the sauce to cool completely, spoon the desired amount into sealable freezer bags, label, and lay flat in your freezer. Once frozen, they stack easily in your freezer.

Thawing and Reheating Instructions:

When you are ready to use the sauce, let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. 

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Homemade spaghetti sauce doesn't need to be complex or time-consuming to be delicious. You just need good, quality ingredients to make a sauce full of amazing flavor. This recipe is perfect for making large batches to feed a crowd or freezing for quick, easy meals later.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 6 Cups

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced, (more or less based on preference)
  • 2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried sweet basil, (1½ tablespoons minced fresh basil)
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Heat oil over medium to medium-high heat in a large skillet or pot. Add the diced onions and saute for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add the garlic and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the garlic from burning.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, oregano, basil, and parmesan cheese (break up any clumps before adding). Stir well. Bring to a simmer.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low, but maintain a simmer. Simmer for at least an hour to give the sauce time to cook down and thicken.
  • Serve over spaghetti noodles. This spaghetti sauce pairs perfectly with my Baked Sausage Meatball recipe.

Notes

Adding Meat to the Sauce: If you like to have meat in your spaghetti sauce, you certainly can add it. You can use ground pork sausage or ground beef. Brown the meat with the onions (be sure to cook it thoroughly), draining off the extra fat, or cook the meat separately and add it to the sauce at the end.
Freezing Instructions: It’s easy to freeze any leftovers to use later or make a larger batch with the intent to freeze for future use. Allow the sauce to cool completely, spoon the desired amount into sealable freezer bags, label, and lay flat in your freezer. Once frozen, they stack easily in your freezer.
Thawing and Reheating: When you are ready to use the sauce. Let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. 
 
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!

BAKED SAUSAGE MEATBALLS

Are you ready to make pasta night even better? This meatball recipe is so easy to make, and they come out incredibly tender, juicy, and full of flavor every time! Whether serving these over your favorite plate of pasta or serving as an appetizer at your next party, they’re always sure to impress!

Everyone in our house looks forward to pasta night. But who doesn’t? Spaghetti and meatballs have been a classic Italian-American dish since the late 1800s.

It’s safe to say how I serve pasta has evolved over the years. In the early years of my marriage, I always used ground beef, it’s what I grew up on, but I haven’t used ground beef with my pasta in almost 15 years. When I discovered how much more flavor there was when I used pork sausage, I never went back. When I mean more flavor…I mean, WOW FLAVOR!!

One day my oldest said, “why don’t you make meatballs this time?” It was my lightbulb moment! Of course…MEATBALLS!! I was determined to make the most amazing, unforgettable meatball recipe. After tweaking the recipe here and there, I finally had a recipe that my family went crazy for. I had my meatball recipe!

You might think twenty meatballs would be a lot for a family of four, but trust me – when your husband is sneaking 2 or 3 before you even sit down for dinner, and the kids come running the second you pull them out of the oven for a taste…And of course, I have to sample, right? Well, the point is, twenty doesn’t go as far as you might think.

Below I will share all my tips and tricks for making the perfect meatballs:

  • For starters, I bake my meatballs. Baking them gives the meatballs a little more flavor without additional oil. Be sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. If using foil, be sure to lightly spray it with cooking oil. This step is to prevent the meatballs from sticking to your baking sheet.
  • Fresh, quality ingredients are a must –
    • Sweet pork sausage – When making meatballs, fat is your friend. It will help you have tender, juicy, flavorful meatballs. So you’ll want to avoid using lean ground meat. Instead, I highly recommend using pork sausage (not ground pork), as this will give them an amazing depth of flavor due to the seasonings mixed into the sausage.
    • Italian style bread crumbs – I prefer to use Italian bread crumbs instead of plain because they have additional seasonings. Italian bread crumbs have oregano, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley flakes, salt, and pepper. All this equals FLAVOR! Also, it’s always better to use dry bread crumbs instead of soaked bread, or you’ll have mushy, fall apart meatballs.
    • Milk – Any fat content will work. Milk helps to bind everything together and adds moisture.
    • Egg – The egg is the other binder in this recipe, so don’t leave it out!
    • Grated parmesan cheese – more flavor!
    • Worcestershire sauce, garlic, pepper, and salt – add more flavor!
  • Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and mix with your hands until everything is evenly combined. Trust me on this one; you can combine the ingredients better by hand than with a spoon.
  • Using your hands, form the meat into 1 1/2 inch balls. To do this, gently press the meat in your hands and then roll until you have a perfect ball. Do not compact the meatballs too tightly, or you will have dense meatballs. Instead, press them just enough so that they stay together in a nice ball. It is also important that you make all your meatballs the same size so they bake evenly.
  • Bake at 400F degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160F-165F degrees in the middle.

Serve on top of your favorite pasta dish. These work great with my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, and don’t forget the garlic bread with my Garlic Bread Spread. 

These also make great party appetizers! Simply stick a toothpick in each meatball, plate, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh finely chopped parsley, and serve. Trust me; these will be a hit!! Enjoy!

Baked Sausage Meatballs

Are you ready to make pasta night even better? This meatball recipe is so easy to make, and they come out incredibly tender, juicy, and full of flavor every time! Whether serving these over your favorite plate of pasta or serving as an appetizer at your next party, they’re always sure to impress!
4.71 from 17 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 20 meatballs

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound sweet pork sausage
  • ½ cup Italian style bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with foil or parchment paper. If using foil, spray lightly with cooking spray to keep the meatballs from sticking.
  • In a medium bowl, add all the ingredients and mix thoroughly with your hands.
  • Shape the meatballs into 18- 20 balls (about 1½ inches in diameter). Press together slightly while rolling them in-between your hands. Make sure the meatballs are the same size.
  • Place on prepared pan about ½ inch apart.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F-165°F.

Notes

These also can be made in bulk and frozen. After baking, allow the meatballs to completely cool. Place the cooled meatballs in a freezer bag, press all the air out and seal well. Use within 6 months.
To thaw the meatballs, pull the bag of meatballs out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator to thaw. This can take a few hours or overnight, depending on the size of the meatballs and how many are in the bag.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.Follow me on Facebook and never miss a recipe!