Beautiful, simple, delicious.

That about sums up this Italian Wedding Soup. Packed with vegetables, orzo and herbed turkey meatballs, it’s a light, but filling winter warmer.

Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey
⅓ cup plain bread crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup orzo
1 bag (5 ounces) baby spinach, chopped
Shaved Parmesan, to serve, optional

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg, sage, and garlic. Mix gently with your hands and form into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate until ready to use. 


2. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil. 


4. Add the meatballs to the boiling broth and cook for 5 minutes, until just cooked through. (I lightly browned the meatballs in a little oil first.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a bowl and reserve.

5. Add the orzo to the broth and boil until just tender, about 7 minutes.
 Add the spinach, return the meatballs to the soup, and 
cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is wilted. 
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve sprinkled with shaved Parmesan.

Serves 8

Recipe from Paula Deen

Today’s music is not Italian nor is it about a wedding. What it is, though, is ideal Friday listening. Lo-fi and a little messy with irresistible guitar and slaying vocals, I propose you dig right in.

Check out Palm Honey on the band’s Website where you can learn of upcoming gigs in the UK and buy their music.

Cheers!