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Family Favorite Italian Wedding Soup

Beth Conlon, PhD, RDN
Jan 7, 2023
3 min read

This comforting soup is perfect for the whole family - it's very versatile! With healthful, savory ingredients and packed with protein from quinoa and turkey meatballs, this soup is nourishing and sure to be pleasing for everyone - even picky eaters!

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Italian Wedding Soup

My kids aren't super into mixed dishes - unless it's a delicious soup like this Italian Wedding Soup recipe.

I love this recipe because it is easily deconstructed for my pickiest eater. I simply serve them the soup components (turkey meatballs, quinoa, and a little bit of the broth with veggies) separated on a divided kids plate (we love WeeSprout Silicone Divided Plates).

I know that it can be hard to find a dish that both adults and children will enjoy - but with its hearty flavors, nutritious ingredients, and easy option to deconstruct for younger children and/or picky eaters, this Italian Wedding Soup is a great recipe to have on hand.

It's quick and easy to prepare so even on hectic days you can still get wholesome goodness onto your family's table!

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED

Here’s a look at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe so you know what to check your pantry for and what you need to pick up at the store:

For the Turkey Meatballs:

1 lb lean turkey breast or chicken, ground
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, minced
1 carrot, shredded (for 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup parsely, fresh, minced
1 cup spinach, baby, minced and microwaved for 30 seconds
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
2 large eggs

For the Soup:

1 cup quinoa
2 carrots, small diced (for 1 cup)
3 stalks celery, small diced (for 1 cup)
1 onion, small diced (for 1 cup)
1 tsp olive oil
1 qt chicken stock no salt added
2 cup water
1 stalk celery leaves (for 1 tsp)
salt, to taste
2 cup baby spinach

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Easy to follow, step-by-step instructions to make Italian Wedding Soup.

For the Meatballs:

Mince parsley and mushrooms.
Microwave spinach for 30 seconds, then mince.
Shred carrot.

For the Soup:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook quinoa.
Dice carrots, celery and onion.
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey with minced parsley, mushrooms, spinach, shredded carrot, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, eggs and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Mix until vegetables and seasonings are well combined.
Shape into 1 tablespoon-sized meatballs and arrange on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked, but still juicy.
In a large stockpot over medium heat, combine 1 teaspoon of olive oil, diced carrots, onion, celery. Sweat the vegetables until slightly soft and onions are translucent.
Add the chicken stock, water, bay leaf and celery leaves. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Add cooked quinoa, baked turkey meatballs and salt to taste.
When ready to serve, add the baby spinach. Serve in warm bowls and enjoy.

Tips for Kid-Friendly Italian Wedding Soup

This Italian Wedding Soup an easy recipe to deconstruct (serve as separate components) for kids! I love this recipe because soup aside, you get delicious meatballs that many kids, including picky eaters, will enjoy!

For my little ones, I serve the meatballs on one part of their dish, some mostly quinoa on another part of their dish, and some of the beautiful veggies on another part of their dish.

If they don't want any of the foods, I remind them that they don't need to eat it and can move the food onto their, "no thank you plate (or napkin)."

I then role model eating the whole soup in front of them. Sometimes they ask for a bite!

Summary

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