Recipe: Italian Wedding Soup (Onion and Garlic Free)

It’s not wedding season. It’s soup season—year-round. Baby pasta shapes, a veggie-filled broth, and herby parmesan meatballs make this a nutritious, satisfying meal.

Instead of onion, this recipe uses leeks to create a flavorful mirepoix, the French word for a mix of aromatic ingredients that helps add depth to broths.

This recipe is GERD-friendly.

Makes 4-6 servings

What you’ll need

Meatballs

• 1 lb lean ground turkey (93/7)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg

Soup

• 1 cup small pasta (e.g., elbows, ditalini, orzo)
• ½ cup leek (green parts only)
• 3 carrots
• 3 celery ribs
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ¾ tsp salt
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 2 cups baby spinach

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.

2. Combine all the meatball ingredients in a bowl. Mix together with your hands until well combined. Roll into 1-inch balls and set aside.

3. Thinly slice the leeks, carrots, and celery and add to a soup pot along with the olive oil. Place the pot on the stove and heat over medium heat.

4. Once the leeks soften, add the meatballs to the pot. Cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes.

5. Add the chicken broth, salt, basil, oregano, and parsley to the pot. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

6. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the carrots and celery are cooked through.

7. Before serving, add the baby spinach and pasta to the pot. Let the spinach wilt, then spoon the soup into bowls. Top with flat-lead parsley and shredded parmesan (optional).