Escarole soup is one of the traditional Italian dishes and is an all time favorite of many. It is fairly simple to prepare and is ready in a few minutes. Escarole is a type of endives that has leaves with irregular frilled edges. It appears early in the spring and is part of various recipes. Escarole with lots of garlic, and topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and meatballs makes an excellent combination. Following are some simple and easy recipes. Escarole Soup with Turkey Meatballs Ingredients: For soup:

• ½ pound escarole, cut crosswise into ½ inch strips
• 1 onion
• 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves or dried rosemary
• ¼ cup small pasta
• 3 cups low salt chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Meatballs:

• ¼ pound ground turkey
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 scallion, minced
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan, grated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions: For soup: In a large saucepan, cook onion and rosemary in olive oil, over moderate heat. When the onion is softened, add escarole and stir well, so that it is coated with oil. Cover the pan and cook for about 1 minute. Now, add the chicken broth and pasta, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. For meatballs: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, except oil. Season it with salt and pepper. Mix well. Make small balls out of the mixture. In a heavy skillet, heat olive oil, over moderate heat. Brown the meatballs in the oil for about 3 minutes. Your meatballs are ready to be added to the soup. Add the browned meatballs to the soup and simmer for 5 minutes, covering it partially. Now, add garlic paste, lemon juice, salt and pepper and cook for about one minute. Chicken Escarole Soup Ingredients:

• ½ pound escarole, trimmed
• 1 large ripe tomato, peeled, cored and chopped
• ¼ cup parsley, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 medium stalks celery, chopped
• 1 chicken breast, skinned and boned
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions: Bring chicken broth to boil over medium heat, in a large saucepan. Add some water if desired. Now, add the chicken, carrots, onion, celery, parsley and pepper. Cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Remove the cooked chicken and set aside. Put tomatoes and escarole in the saucepan and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. When the chicken cools, cut it into small cubes. Put the cubes into the soup and serve! Escarole Soup with Beans Ingredients:

• 2 pounds fresh escarole
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, peeled, cored and chopped
• ½ pound dry white beans
• ¼ teaspoon basil
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions: Heat olive oil over medium heat, add onion and cook until golden brown. Stir occasionally. Now, add all the spices and cook for a minute or so. Stir in the escarole and cook for 2 more minutes. Now, in goes the chicken broth, beans and tomato. Bring it to simmer. Add salt and pepper. Cover and cook until it thickens to the desired consistency. Serve it hot! Liked all the recipes? Then what are you waiting for? Gather all the ingredients and get ready for a soul-soothing, tummy-filling delicious escarole soup treat!