Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
Soup ingredients:
2 medium carrots
2 celery stalks
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 pkg onion soup mix
7 C chicken broth
6 oz baby spinach
1 1/2 C pasta, uncooked
Meatball ingredients:
1 lb ground chicken
1 large egg
1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 – 1 tsp red pepper flakes
Directions
Prepare vegetables by mincing garlic, slicing carrots into thin discs, slicing celery and chopping onion. The onion can be as small or as large as you prefer. Add all dry ingredients listed above to slow cooker followed by chicken broth.
While your soup base begins to cook, prepare meatballs. Preheat oven to 350F°. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients.
When your meat mixture is fully combined, pinch off enough to make roughly 1-inch balls. Place rolled meatballs onto prepared baking sheet. Space 1 – 2″ apart. Bake at 350F° for 15-25 minutes or until the center is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 180F°.
Cool and slice meatballs into quarter sections. You’ll want to try a bite before it makes it into the soup, trust me. Just go ahead, take a bite. Yummy delicious zesty meatball. You might even get lucky and see a red pepper flake or two.
When 2 hours remain for your soup, add meatball pieces to slow cooker. Gently stir and replace the lid.
When 30 minutes remain add 6oz chopped fresh spinach and 1 1/2 cups pasta of your choice. Gently stir and replace lid.
