With a Latin Twist!
This italian wedding soup has my must have when making another type of cuisine and that is my twist! I love soup and growing up, every soup my mom made pretty much always had fideos, which is basically cut spaghetti, also known as vermicelli. It is thinner than an actual spaghetti. Of course, when making my version of Italian wedding soup, fideos was my choice.
Another ingredient that twists this recipe is that I add what we call “Auyama” in the Dominican Republic. It gives the soup a bit of a sweet hint but not sweet where you think of sugar. “Auyama” is called “West Indian Pumpkin” in English and usually hard to find in the US from my experience. I have replaced it with regular pumpkin, Kabocha Squash and Squash in the past. I do recommend checking out your local Latin market, Asian market or international market to see if they carry it. Thankfully the closest Asian market to me has it. It is so worth the trip to have it in this soup.
Tip on Auyama
When you buy auyama, peel and cut into chunks that are about 2 by 2 inches and freeze. When you want to add Auyama to a dish, take a few out and let them defrost before cooking or in the cooking process. We love to add auyama to many dishes in dominican Republic. Aside from in soups, we add to gandules which are green pigeon peas that we serve with rice and a meat. Also to some rice dishes,
I also added cilantro to the soup. That absolutely makes a difference in taste. But if you don’t like cilantro, feel free to leave that ingredient out.
Italian Wedding Soup with a Latin Twist
Ingredients
For the mini meatballs
- 1/3 lb ground beef I prefer 85%
- 1/3 lb ground pork
- 1/3 lb ground sweet italian sausage
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 tbs yellow onion chopped fine (amount to taste)
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp salt optional (the less the better)
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp parsley I use Gourmet Garden semi-dried
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1 tbs olive oil for browning after formed
For the soup
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/4 cup yellow onions chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped fine
- 1/4 cup carrots chopped fine
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 8 cups chicken broth or stock Add extra if you'd like your soup more watery
- 1 cup auyama (West Indian Pumpkin) sub with regular pumpkin, Kabocha squash
- 1 cup fideos vermicelli or cut spaghetti are similar
- 1 hand bunch of baby spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro rinsed hand chopped into soup
- 3/4 tbs Better than Boullion Chicken Roasted Chicken Base
Instructions
Making the mini-meatballs
- Place beef, sausage and pork in a deep bowl.
- Place egg, parmesan, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, parsley and oregano over the meats and then mix well.
- With a teaspoon, make small 1 inch or so mini-meatballs. When you are forming them do so with little pressure so that the meatballs is not to tightly packed.
- Set the meatballs aside on a plate ot baking pan until finished making them all.
- In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add olive oil and brown the meatballs making sure they do not touch. Turn them over one by one as they brown to brown all around.
- Once mostly browned, lightly stir with a large spoon making sure none are breaking apart.
- Once done, turn stove off and set aside until we are ready to place in the soup.
Start making the soup
- In a large pot, over medium high heat, add olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add onions, celery and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they start becoming translucent.
- Then add garlic and stir in for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken stock, cover and bring to a boil.
- Once it's boiling, lower heat and add the auyama (West Indian pumpkin) or pumpkin or Kabocha squash, fideos and mini-meatballs. Make sure to get some of the drippings of the pan in too.
- Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Next add the spinach and cilantro and stir. They should be wilted in a couple of minutes.
- Have a taste. If you think it needs a bit of salt or a bit more flavor, mine always does, add about 3/4 tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base. Mix in and give it a minute. Taste again and that should be it!
- I like to save my soup in small freezable containers and freeze to have when I want soup. These will stay good for about 3 months.
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