Name: Low-Commitment Wedding Soup
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage; ¾ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided; 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 8 garlic cloves, divided; Kosher salt; 1 medium head of fennel with fronds; 2 medium onions; ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes; ½ cup dry white wine; 1 4-oz. piece Parmesan with rind; 1 15-oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans; 1 small head of escarole

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Photo by Chelsie Craig

This recipe takes all the right shortcuts and none of the wrong ones. We doctor up sweet Italian sausage for the meatballs, opt for adding canned beans instead of boiling pasta in a separate pot, and still manage to make an uber-flavorful soup without having to call for boxed chicken stock. It's one-pot, one-bowl magic.