"Bally Soup"

An easy soup to make that comes together quick.

"Bally Soup" is a soup made with chicken broth, vegetables, shredded chicken, and Acini di Pepe(the little balls, in "Bally Soup"). It is one of my nieces' and nephew's favorite recipes, and is one of the most common requests for everyday meals, and even special birthday celebrations.

I asked the kids what they like most best about this soup, and below you can find their responses, as well as the recipe for the famous, "Bally Soup".

Everette(Age 7)"I like the little balls and warm celery."

Elliot(Age 6) "I like the spinach."

Abigail(Age 4) "I like how warm it is and the carrots."

Please note: the version of this recipe is not the original. We chose to share a quicker version that can come together easy at any time, and may not come across so intimidating to the novice chef. Colleen shares this is the way she makes it quite often for her family and kids.

Use this easy soup recipe as a starting place, and know that you can always venture to new directions and variations, based on your own personal tastes, preferences, and the ingredients that you have on hand.

We hope you enjoy this recipe for "Bally Soup"

Elissa and the Strassman Family (Colleen, Matt, Everette, Elliot and Abigail)

---

"Bally Soup"

An easy soup recipe with chicken that comes together quick.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Medium size onion, chopped*

2 Stalks Celery, diced

2 Carrots, diced

1 Garlic clove, minced*

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

8 c. Chicken Stock or Broth

1/4 c. Acini di Pepe

2 Tbsp. Parsley, finely chopped*

1 Rotisserie Chicken, meat shredded and cut into bite size pieces

Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano Cheese for topping, optional

Sauté onion, celery, carrots in a medium size soup pot until translucent. Add garlic and tomato paste and sauté until fragrant. Add chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer covered for 5-7 minutes. Stir in Acini di Pepe and cook to al dente, according to the package directions. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve: spoon shredded chicken into bowls, ladle soup over the top, and sprinkle with grated cheese if desired.

*These are ingredients I added, Colleen and Matt do not add onion, garlic, or parsley, in their family's recipe. I also opted for whole grain pasta and low sodium broth/stock in my version of this soup.

Recipe variations:

For those following a vegetarian or vegan eating style:

Feel free to substitute vegetable broth or stock for the chicken broth or stock, and omit the chicken and cheese. Add a can of drain and rinsed beans, or tofu to add some additional protein.

Substitute other pasta shapes, noodles, or grains:

Noodles can be fun and slurpy. rice, barley or farro can lend to a more toothsome feel. Different shapes of pasta can transform this soup too.

Add any additional vegetables that you have on hand:

Looking to use up some vegetables in the freezer or fridge? Add them to the pot! Elliot likes when we add spinach to this soup. What other vegetables do you have that you might like to add or that sound good to you?

Try different protein choices:

Beans, tofu, fish, different meats, even egg. My grandmother sometimes would beat an egg and stir it into the broth to cook through. All things go when it comes to soup.

Explore with different seasonings:

Add jalapeño along with the garlic, in step one, and incorporate tortilla strips, black beans, corn, and a squeeze of lime, for a completely different take.

What other spices and herbs might you choose to use to make your soup unique?

I hope you enjoyed this recipe for "Bally Soup", along with all the different tips to help make a semi-homemade soup that suits you!