Vegan Italian Wedding Soup

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I’ve always wanted to make a Vegan Italian Wedding Soup, but finding a substitute for a sturdy vegan or vegetarian “meatball” always presented problems for me. So when Impossible Foods started selling their Impossible Burger product in grocery stores here, I knew I wanted to give it a try with this soup. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t eat “meat substitutes” often, but every now and then, I do. So pictured is the verdict. Not necessarily your “traditional” Italian Wedding Soup, but hey…it’s pretty darn close in my opinion. Please note, that I have not tried the meatballs with any other plant based ground meat. So I’m not certain how they will work with this soup. For this soup, there’s your typical Mirepoix, and I’ve used Escarole, and Acini di Pepe pasta.

If you like my Vegan Italian Wedding Soup, you may also enjoy my Vegetable Rice Soup.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Italian Wedding Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

5 from 4 reviews

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Ingredients

For the “Meatballs”:

• a drizzle of neutral oil, your choice
• 12 ounces plant-based ground beef, such as Impossible Burger “Meat”
• ¼ cup Panko
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, can sub with a small handful of roughly chopped fresh herbs like oregano and parsley
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or vegan Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Soup:

• a good drizzle of olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 medium celery stalks, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, or a small handful of roughly chopped fresh herbs like basil, oregano, and parsley
• 1 pinch red chili flakes, optional
• 7 to 8 cups vegetable broth, can sub some water out with this
• ½ cup acini di pepe pasta, or another small pasta like orzo or ditalini
• 2 cups escarole, roughly chopped (kale or spinach works here just as well)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Other additions to consider:

• a squeeze of lemon juice
• freshly grated parmesan cheese

Equipment

• Large Pot or Dutch Oven

Instructions

Prepare the meatballs:

• In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the “meatballs”. Start to form 1-inch size round meatballs and place them on a plate.
• In a large skillet, drizzle neutral oil, over medium heat. Carefully place the “meatballs” in the skillet. Cook on each side until lightly browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. (The less you handle these while cooking the better. I like to use a fork to gently roll from the bottom, to the other side.)  Once browned, remove the skillet from heat and set to the side. Browning them first will help them keep their texture and shape, once placed in the soup.

Make the Soup:

• While the meatballs are cooking, drizzle the olive oil into a large pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat. Add in the carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, dried Italian herbs (if using fresh herbs waiting until broth is added), and red chili flakes and sauté for a few more minutes. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and turn to medium-low heat.
• With a ladle, carefully place all the meatballs into the soup along with the acini di pepe. Cover the pot and allow to cook for 10 minutes or so or until pasta is done, lightly stirring halfway through not to disturb or break up the meatballs.
• Lightly stir in the escarole and remove the pot from heat. Once the escarole has wilted, the soup is done. (As with most soups that involve pasta, you may have to add more water or broth the longer it sits and the pasta expands.)
• Serve and enjoy!

Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1861mg, Potassium: 259mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 6548IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 165mg, Iron: 3mg