Soup's on Saturday - Sarah's Wedding Soup

I found a love for Wedding Soup while attending college in a small Amish Town in Western Pennsylvania.

NOTE: It was a normal, modern college that just happened to be in a town where many Amish lived.

The Short Stop Inn, one of the few restaurants in town, often served a traditional wedding soup that was quite tasty. Even the campus cafeteria served a wedding soup that wasn't too bad.

A few years after graduating and moving to Oregon, I found myself craving this Wedding Soup. I hadn't really ever had it before college and hadn't seen it since. So I found a few different recipes on the internet and started to make one that sounded good. As most good soup recipes go, I eventually found myself adding a little of this, a little of that. I have since lost my original recipe card, and am not really sure of the exact source, which ingredients were original or which were my own inspiration. It has developed into a very rich hearty soup that certainly will serve as meal. I generally make a large batch and freeze most of it for later. I am certain that you will be pleased if you try it, I get requests for it all the time, and people who have tried it will mention it to me years later. And, no, its not a secret recipe... try and enjoy!

Sarah's Wedding Soup

Ingredients:
Oil for sauteeing
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbs celery salt
1 large onion chopped
3-4 stalks of celery chopped
3-4 carrots sliced
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1- 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 box frozen spinach - thawed, drained and patted dry w/paper towel
6 cups chicken broth
Meatballs ***

In a large stock pot, saute garlic, onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms, seasoned with celery salt for about 5-7 minutes or until the veggies are mostly tender. Add tomatoes, spinach and chicken broth. Heat to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook at a simmer for at least 1 hour. Add meatballs***, cook for another 20 minutes. Serve with Parmesean cheese garnish. It can be served immediately, but I have found that the flavors are more well mingled when you finish cooking and chill over night before serving. Either works.

Meatballs***
You can buy the pre-made meatballs and use them if you'd like. I personally enjoy the flavor of the soup when combined with the homemade meatballs. I have also been known to make a large batch of these meatballs and freezing them to be served with pasta at a later time.

1 to 1 1/2 lbs ground Italian Sausage
1 medium diced onion
2 cloves diced garlic
1 extra large (or 2 med) eggs, beaten
1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 tbs dry parsley
salt and pepper

I take off my rings and mix the ingredients with my fingers.... kinda cool and icky feeling, but the easiest way to mix it. Although, you will see in the picture below that I used the cuisinart to mix it and a pampered chef scoop to drop the balls. I still think hand mixing is my preference.


Heat oil in a fry pan over medium heat... if it gets too hot, it'll burn without cooking through and the oil and fat from the sausage will spit and probably burn your hands. Form 1 inch balls and cook in oil, turning occasionally until cooked through. Don't put too many in the pan at once, they will stick together. Drain on a paper towel.

For other yummy soup recipes - check out Tiffany's "Soup's On Saturday"