Mini meatballs, creamy Rancho Gordo chickpeas, farro, and escarole in a rustic twist on Italian wedding soup—with a splash of balsamic to brighten each bite.
Italian Wedding Soup Reimagined with Chickpeas & Farro
Serves 6
Intro:
This is my Italian Wedding Soup–meets–Chickpea Farro Soup mash-up. I kept the hearty, nutty farro and chickpeas from my original chickpea farro soup, but added Wegmans mini meatballs and a whole head of escarole for that classic Italian wedding vibe. Using my cooked Rancho Gordo chickpeas made it even better—half go straight into the pot for texture, and the other half get blended smooth to make the broth luxuriously creamy without adding cream. A splash of balsamic vinegar at the end brightens everything up, cutting through the richness of the beans and meatballs.
Perfect for cold nights, Sunday dinners, or when you want to feed the family without much fuss. Just add crusty bread.
3/4 cup pearled farro, soaked in water for 45 minutes, drained
8 oz Wegmans mini Italian meatballs (or homemade)
1 head escarole, roughly chopped
1–2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, to finish
Note: I like to use Better Than Bouillon chicken base for my broth. We buy a large jar at Costco and keep it in the fridge so we can make chicken stock anytime. It creates a flavorful base you can enhance with aromatics for soups like this.
Instructions
Sauté aromatics: In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 8–10 minutes.
Toast the tomato paste: Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until it deepens in color and smells sweet.
Blend the creamy base: Add 2 cups of the chickpeas to the pot. Take the remaining 2 cups chickpeas, add to a bowl with about 1 cup chicken stock (or water), and purée with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour into the pot.
Build the broth: Add remaining chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
Add farro & meatballs: Stir in the soaked farro and meatballs. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes, until farro is tender.
Add greens: Stir in chopped escarole and cook 3–4 minutes, until just wilted.
Finish: Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in balsamic vinegar just before serving.
Serving Tip:
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano before serving for even more depth.
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