Escarole & White Bean Soup with Meatballs

Prep Methods/Techniques ,
Course ,
Servings 4
Ingredients
  • 1/2 lb lean ground buffalo
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1 large egg, beaten to blend
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
  • 5 clove garlic, peeled and minced
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 8 cup rich chicken stock
  • 1 large or 2 medium heads escarole, washed and chopped
  • 2 16-ounce cans cannellini beans
  • 1 tsp hot red Chile pepper flakes, or more, plus more for serving
  • A handful of fresh basil leaves, shredded
Method
  1. In a medium bowl, combine buffalo, pork, egg, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, 4 minced garlic cloves, salt and a good grinding of pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together. Form into 1-inch balls.

  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides (you may have to brown the meatballs in batches). Adjust the heat so that they get nice and brown, not burned. Drain on paper towels.

  3. Meanwhile, bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over high heat, Stir in escarole, cannellini beans, remaining garlic and pepper flakes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly ground pepper. Lower the heat to a simmer. Add the cooked meatballs. Deglaze the the meatball pan with a little chicken broth and add that back to the soup pot. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in the shredded basil just before serving. Pass additional Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Cook's Notes
Yield
4 light main course or 6 first course servings
Ingredient Notes
This is a simple soup so.... good ingredients make a huge difference in the final dish. I haven't ever made it without a good rich homemade chicken stock so I can't recommend store-bought broth.
The ground buffalo that I use is really lean, about 96%. Feel free, of course, to substitute lean ground beef.
Prep Time
30 minutes max