Italian Wedding Soup with Mushroom “Meatballs”
A vegetarian take on the classic Italian wedding soup — tender mushroom meatballs made with Italian oysters, parmesan and herbs simmer in a brothy soup with tiny pasta and ribbons of escarole. Cozy, deeply flavored and worthy of a Sunday lunch.
Ingredients
Mushroom Meatballs
- 12 oz Italian oyster mushrooms from KC Mushroom Co.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 small yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano finely grated
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Soup Base
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 small parmesan rind optional but recommended
- 3/4 cup acini de pepe or other tiny pasta
- 1 small head escarole washed and torn, about 4 cups
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
To Finish
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- extra Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving
- red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
- Pull the Italian oysters apart and chop them finely until they’re roughly the texture of ground meat. A few quick pulses in a food processor works perfectly if you prefer.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add the diced onion and cook 3 minutes until soft. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they’ve released all their water and the mixture looks dry. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Transfer to a large bowl and cool for 5 minutes.
- To the cooled mushroom mixture, add the panko, Parmesan, eggs, parsley, basil, oregano, fennel, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until everything just holds together. If the mixture seems wet, add another tablespoon of panko.
- Roll into 1-inch meatballs — you should get about 30 of them. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet with space between each. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until firm and lightly golden.
- While the meatballs bake, build the soup base. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium. Add the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and cook 7 to 8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Pour in the stock and add the Parmesan rind if using. Bring to a simmer and let it bubble gently for 10 minutes to develop flavor. Fish out the rind.
- Raise the heat slightly and add the pasta. Cook 6 to 8 minutes per the package timing. In the last 2 minutes, drop in the escarole — it wilts quickly. Add the baked mushroom meatballs and simmer 2 minutes to heat through.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper generously. Ladle into bowls. Shower with parsley, Parmesan, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
Notes
From the farm: Italian oyster’s mild flavor and high yield make it ideal for blended preparations like meatballs, where the texture matters more than the mushroom’s personality. Don’t substitute pink oysters here — their distinctive flavor would compete with the herbs.
Tip: A small Parmesan rind simmered in the broth is the secret to deep flavor in a clear soup like this one. Save your rinds in a freezer bag for soup-making.
Make ahead: The mushroom meatballs can be baked up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 2 months. The soup base also keeps well in the fridge for 4 days. Cook the pasta fresh in the reheated broth so it doesn’t go mushy.