Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Slow Cooker Sunday!

It's Slow Cooker Sunday folks! I must say, Slow Cooker Sunday has turned into one of my favorite days on the blog.

For one, I am so enjoying creating new recipes for the slow cooker. Secondly, the dishes are coming out so flavorful, I can't wait to share them with you.  

My Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup is my Baby Girl favorite soup. She always orders this soup whenever we go out for Italian food.

Therefore, as usual I had to go home and recreate the soup, my way...!

I started out by making moist, tender, meatballs. I used ground turkey and Italian turkey sausage.

Use whatever meat you prefer, ground chuck would be great for the beef lovers!

No, you're not seeing things...I find this is one of the most important steps in slow cooking, brown your meat people...it's takes less than 10 minutes and it's a needed step to bring out the flavor in the soup!

See, this is the look we're going for...do this in two batches for 2 minutes on each side.

Second important step in slow cooking, saute those veggies in that meatball oil...it's all about the flavor people.

Slow cooker time, place veggies on bottom, top with meatballs.

Top the meatballs with beans and tomatoes, and more seasonings of course!

Add broth and cook covered on high for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, remove slow cooker lid, add Swiss chard, cook uncovered 1 more hour.

I find that removing the lid the last hour of cooking, thickens the soup.

I served my soup in Big Bowls with a side of crusty sourdough bread for dipping, and lots of parmigiano reggiano.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

meatballs (recipe below)
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups beef broth
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup red onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 15 ounce cans great northern beans, rinsed, drained
3 cups diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons creole seasonings
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano, dried, crushed
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
parmigiano reggiano cheese to serve

For the Meatballs:

1/2 lb ground turkey
3 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, grated
1/4 cup red onion, minced
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 King Hawaiian rolls, tore into pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons creole seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano, dried, crushed
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

To prepare meatballs, add Hawaiian rolls and broth into bowl and mix well.

In a separate bowl add all ingredients except olive oil, add soaked bread and mix well.

Make meatballs using about 2 tablespoons of meat. You should get about 20 meatballs out of this mixture.

In a skillet add about 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat, cook meatballs 2 minutes on each side in 2 batches. Remove meatballs and set aside.

Mix soup seasoning blend and set aside.

To pan add more olive oil if needed, add bell pepper, onions, celery and carrots, season with 1 tablespoon of seasoning blend, saute 5 minutes, add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

Transfer vegetables to slow cooker, top with meatballs, top with beans and tomatoes, seasoning beans and tomatoes, add broth.

Mix carefully, we don't want to break up our meatballs.

Cook on high for 4 hours, stirring every hour.

Remove lid, skim off any grease that may have risen to the top, add Swiss chard and cook uncovered 1 more hour.

Serve in big bowls with crusty bread and parmigiano reggiano, enjoy!