****Visit our "Disclosure Policy and Cookies" for details. Affiliate links appear on this page from Google Adsense, Amazon, Order Out of Chaos, Impact affiliate members, Release, Repurpose, Reorganize, and Shareasale affiliate members.****
My husband introduced me to this recipe 30 years ago when we married. It was a recipe that my mother-in-law made when he was a kid. It brings back many fond memories from his childhood, so I make it when I can find fresh escarole. Follow along and check out how Delicious and Easy Escarole and Meatball Soup Recipe is to make. It is also called escarole soup. This recipe uses tiny meatballs to balance out the taste.
Jump to:
Many people think this is Italian wedding soup. However, it doesn't have egg and parmesan cheese or pasta, which my mother taught me to make. Check out my No Pasta "Italian Wedding Soup" recipe - I modified it for gluten-free audiences like me.
Ingredients
The ingredients are super easy. Check them out below. Many of these ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery store.
- 1 large head of escarole - cleaned and chopped into bit size pieces
- 1 bag of frozen gluten-free or regular Italian meatballs or make my homemade meatballs recipe. We prefer mini meatballs or small meatballs.
- Cannellini beans - one can - rinsed
- Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock 8 cups - two containers
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (Affiliate Link)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- Optional - 3 Roasted garlic cloves
Full disclosure: There are affiliate advertising program links on this recipe page. I will receive a small commission if you click through and buy something on another site, like Amazon.
Instructions
This recipe took about 45 minutes from start to finish.
First, add olive oil (Affiliate Link) and then the frozen meatballs. They are cooked and need reheating. Brown them for about 10 minutes. You can add red pepper flakes to this point if you want some spice. I threw in some recently made roasted garlic cloves for added flavor.
Then, add the white beans (Cannellini beans), broth (two containers), Salt and pepper, and stir.
Cover and bring to a boil. It should take about 10 minutes.
Add the escarole to the top of the soup and then stir in. Cook for 5 minutes.
Let sit for a few minutes, and then enjoy in a bowl.
Top with grated grated Romano cheese.
Reveal
And, here is what the soup looked like after it was done and what it looks like in the bowl. What do you think? I hope you like it and that it inspires you to make it for yourself and your family. Check out the variation options below and the equipment I used to make this recipe. Happy cooking!
Variations
You can make a few variations with this Delicious and Easy Escarole and Meatball Soup Recipe.
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes a pitch to as much as you want, and add some heat to the olive oil (Affiliate Link) at the beginning.
- Vegetarian - remove the chicken broth and the Italian meatballs (gluten-free) and replace them with vegetable broth and vegan meatballs or Beyond meatballs. However, it will change the flavor of the soup.
- Make homemade frozen little meatballs - you will need several large egg, beef, bread crumbs, check out my recipe, and you can make a butch of them and freeze them for future dinners.
- Extra flavor - you can change chicken broth with beef or your homemade stock.
- Chicken meatballs or turkey meatballs - you can replace beef meatballs with chicken meatballs.
- Can't find escarole - you can replace it with dark leafy greens like spinach.
- Add small pasta - tiny pasta pieces, like gluten-free orzo (affiliate), Stelline Pasta (gluten-free) (Affiliate) And, add it when you add the escorale and cook for the length of the pasta box (Affiliate Link) instructions.
Equipment
My equipment is simple: a chef knife, a cutting board (Affiliate Link), a Dutch oven (Affiliate Link) for your stovetop.
Chef Knife - Sharp Kitchen Knife 8 Inch
Buy Now →Cutting Board Extra Large Bamboo 18"x12"
Buy Now →Dutch Oven Lodge 7.5 Quart Enameled Cast Iron with Lid
Buy Now →(Affiliate Link)
Storage
Add the leftover soup recipe to an airtight container in the fridge, and it will last for 2-3 days. I don't recommend this recipe frozen. However, you can freeze the frozen meatballs and broth together, then add and heat it in a pot and finish with the escarole.
Related
Are you looking for other soup recipes like this? Try these:
Delicious and Easy Escarole and Meatball Soup Recipe
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 6 bowls
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
A Delicious and Easy Escarole and Meatball Soup Recipe that you can make for dinner tonight. It has beans, meatballs (Gluten Free or regular), and escarole for the entire family.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of escarole - cleaned and chopped into bit size pieces
- 1 bag of frozen gluten-free or regular Italian mini meatballs.
- Cannellini beans - one can - rinsed
- Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock 8 cups - two containers
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (Affiliate Link)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- Optional - 3 Roasted garlic cloves
Instructions
Add olive oil (Affiliate Link) and then the frozen meatballs. They are cooked and need reheating. Brown them for about 10 minutes. You can add red pepper flakes to this point if you want some spice. I threw in some recently made roasted garlic cloves for added flavor.
Then, add the white beans (Cannellini beans), broth (two containers), Salt and pepper, and stir.
Cover and bring to a boil. It took take about 10 minutes.
Add the escarole to the top of the soup and then stir in. Cook for 5 minutes.
Let sit for a few minutes, and then enjoy in a bowl.
Notes
Top with grated Romano cheese.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: soup recipe
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 268 cal
- Sugar: 1.1 g
- Fat: 19.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.7 g
- Fiber: 7.1 g
- Protein: 10.7 g