SORRY, NONNAS—MY SOUTHWESTERN WEDDING SOUP IS BETTER THAN THE OG

When I think of comfort food, I think of the dishes I grew up eating in the Southwest. Bold, savory flavors in any form will always have a special place in my heart, but I have a soft spot for anything in soup form. Whether you’re feeling under the weather or it’s especially chilly outside, a cozy pot of soup is guaranteed to make you feel better. So I decided to infuse the smoky, Southwestern flavors of my childhood with one of my favorite Italian soups: Italian wedding soup.

This Southwestern wedding soup has many of the same ingredients you’d expect from the source material, like meatballs, pasta, and plenty of vegetables. My version, however, uses many of the aromatics and seasonings you’d typically find in Tex-Mex food for a fun spin on a cozy classic.

The meatballs:

The homemade meatballs are brimming with spices like oregano, cumin, and chili powder. But what gives them even more Southwestern flair is the use of crushed tortilla chips instead of breadcrumbs. Not only do the chips help bind the meatballs together, they also impart some delicious corn flavor. Making meatballs from scratch may sound too involved, but the rest of this soup comes together really quickly thanks to canned ingredients.

The soup:

Since we want this recipe to come together in less than an hour, we lean on some canned ingredients to add some more depth. A can of diced green chiles and the sauce from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo are bursting with smoky, peppery flavor, which will make your soup taste like it’s been simmering for hours. This recipe has a subtle, mild heat, but feel free to adjust the amount of adobo sauce you use depending on your spice tolerance.

Make ahead:

You can save yourself some time by making the meatballs beforehand. Once they’re formed and placed on a lined baking sheet in a single layer, freeze until the meatballs are solid. From there, you can transfer the frozen meatballs into a zip-top bag or an airtight container. They should keep for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to make the soup, you can add the frozen meatballs directly to the pot of heated oil. Just prepare to spend more time over the stove to make sure the meatballs are browned (you’ll likely need to lower the heat to accommodate the increased cooking time). You can also partially prepare this soup ahead of time and freeze it to enjoy cozy vibes whenever you want.

Storage:

Ideally, we’d recommend storing the soup before adding the pasta, spinach, and herbs. Allow to cool, then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat it again, thaw and bring the soup back up to a boil, then cook your pasta and greens fresh.

Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!

Yields: 8 servings

Prep Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1

  large egg

• 1/4 c.

  crushed tortilla chips

• 1/4 c.

  finely grated cotija or Parmesan

• 1 lb.

  ground pork

• 3

  garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp.

  finely chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 tsp.

  chili powder

• 1 tsp.

  kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp.

  dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp.

  freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 tsp.

  ground cumin

• Vegetable oil, for greasing

Soup

• 1 tbsp.

  vegetable oil

• 1

  medium yellow onion, finely chopped

• 1

  medium carrot, finely chopped

• 2

  celery ribs, finely chopped

• 2

  garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp.

  tomato paste

• 1/2 tsp.

  ground cumin

• 1

  (4-oz.) can diced green chiles

• 2 tbsp.

  adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chiles

• 8 c.

  low-sodium chicken broth

• 1/2 c.

  acini di pepe or other small pasta shape

• 5 oz.

  baby spinach

• 1/4 c.

  finely chopped fresh cilantro

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Crumbled cotija or finely grated Parmesan and lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Meatballs

1. In a large bowl, mix egg, crushed chips, and cotija. Let sit 5 minutes.
2. Add pork, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, salt, oregano, pepper, and cumin. Mix until well combined.
3. Grease a teaspoon with oil, then make heaping scoops of meatball mixture. Gently form into about a 1" ball, then arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining meatball mixture, greasing teaspoon as needed, until you have 55 to 60 meatballs.

Soup

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Working in batches, arrange meatballs in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until one side is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully turn and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until meatballs are browned on multiple sides, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
2. In same pot over medium heat, cook onion, carrot, and celery, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, and cumin and continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
3. Return meatballs to pot. Add green chiles and adobo sauce and stir to combine. Add broth, then bring to a boil. Add pasta, then reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove pot from heat. Stir spinach and cilantro until wilted; season with salt and pepper.
5. Divide soup among bowls. Top with cotija and serve with lime wedges alongside.

2025-04-18T14:15:00Z