Chef John's Italian Wedding Soup

Chef John's Italian wedding soup recipe is delicious and comforting soup with kale, tiny pasta, and tender little beef meatballs.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 4 hr 50 mins
• Total Time: 5 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 214 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 quarts water
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 thick slice meaty beef shank with bone
• 10 ounces boneless beef short ribs
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
• 0.125 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 0.5 cup soft bread crumbs
• 0.25 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 0.33333334326744 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 0.33333334326744 cup coarsely chopped carrot
• 0.33333334326744 cup coarsely chopped celery
• 0.5 beaten egg
• 0.25 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 0.33333334326744 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 0.33333334326744 cup pastina (tiny star-shaped pasta) or other tiny pasta
• 1 teaspoon shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot over high heat. Add beef shank slice; cook until seared and browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Add water, onion, carrot, celery, 3 cloves peeled garlic, bay leaf, and black peppercorns; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; simmer until beef shank meat falls off the bone and stock turns brown in color, 4 to 5 hours. Add more water if beef stock level gets below about 5 cups.

Step 2

Freeze short ribs until firm and very cold, about 15 minutes. Cut short rib meat into cubes; return to freezer until almost frozen, about 30 minutes more.

Step 3

Whisk cream, egg, parsley, and 2 cloves minced garlic in a bowl. Stir in bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Step 4

Combine partially frozen beef rib cubes, 1/3 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until beef is coarsely ground, 5 to 10 pulses. Pulse in bread crumb mixture until mixture finely ground, about 5 pulses more. Transfer beef mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Step 5

Meanwhile, strain beef stock into a large soup pot; discard beef shank and vegetables. Stir chicken broth into beef stock; whisk in tomato paste. Bring broth mixture to a simmer; season with salt and black pepper. Stir in kale; simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.

Step 6

Roll beef mixture into 2 teaspoon-sized meatballs.

Step 7

Cook pastina in simmering soup for 5 minutes; gently add meatballs. Simmer until meatballs are cooked through and tender, about 15 minutes. Garnish servings with shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and black pepper.