Get the Recipe: Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
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. But this soup is a delicious remedy!
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 vegan Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon fine 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
- 1 pinch red chili flakes, optional
- 7 to 8 cups vegetable broth, or more if needed
- ½ cup acini di pepe pasta
- 2 cups escarole, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
Other toppings to consider:
- a squeeze of lemon juice
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
Equipment
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
Instructions
Prepare the meatballs:
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the “meatballs”. Start to form 1-inch size round meatballs and place them onto a plate.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, drizzle neutral oil, over medium heat. Transfer the “meatballs” into the pot. Cook 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, transfer to a plate, cover and set to the side. (Browning them first will help them keep their texture and shape, once placed in the soup.)
Make the Soup:
- Using the same pot, drizzle in a little more olive oil, if needed, and set to medium heat. Add 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, wait until the broth is added), and red chili flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down to medium, stir in the acini di pepe, and carefully place all the meatballs into the soup. Cover the pot and cook until the pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes, 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 and is tender, the soup is done. (As with most soups that involve pasta, you may have to add more water or broth to leftovers the longer it sits and the pasta expands.)
- Ladle the soup into your bowls and garnish with any toppings, if using. Serve and enjoy!
Serving: 8ounces, 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