This Italian soup with quinoa meatballs is a hearty and filling bowl. Orzo is a small rice-shaped pasta; if you can’t find it, use pearl couscous (often labeled Israeli couscous) or another small pasta shape. Excited to try this comforting and delicious Italian soup with meatballs?
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time50 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr5 minutesmins
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 292kcal
Author: Heather Nicholds
Ingredients
For the quinoa meatballs:
1cupcooked diced potatoor sweet potato or squash
1cupcooked quinoaor buckwheat or short grain rice
2tablespoonstomato pasteor ketchup
1teaspoondried herbs
1teaspoonsaltor ½ a teaspoon if using ketchup
2 to 3tablespoonsnutritional yeastoptional
olive oil for preparing the baking sheetoptional
For the Italian wedding soup:
1teaspoonolive oil
2carrots chopped
½chopped onion
2 to 3clovesgarlic, mincedor ½ a teaspoon garlic powder
salt to taste
8cupswater
1cuporzoor pearled couscous
1tablespoondried herbs
black pepperfreshly ground
2cupschopped spinachor kale or chard
Instructions
For the meatballs:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil or line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Smash the cooked potato in a bowl. Add the quinoa, tomato paste, dried herbs, salt, and nutritional yeast (if using). Toss to mix well. Form the mixture into about 20 balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced slightly apart. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip each meatball and bake for 15 minutes more.
Transfer the meatballs to a large plate to cool.
For the Italian Soup:
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, garlic (if using fresh), and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.
Add the water, orzo, and dried herbs (plus the garlic powder, if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper and bring the soup to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer until the orzo is soft, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the meatballs and chopped greens to wilt. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.