Description
Italian Wedding Soup is a classic comfort dish made with tender homemade meatballs, leafy greens, delicate pasta, and a rich chicken broth. This authentic, restaurant-quality recipe is easy to prepare at home and perfect for cozy family meals or elegant gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs
- ½ lb ground beef (85% lean)
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1¼ cups carrots, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup acini de pepe pasta
- 4–5 cups fresh spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently mix all meatball ingredients until just combined.
- Roll into ¾-inch meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown meatballs on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened.
- Add garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil, scraping up browned bits.
- Return meatballs to the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta separately until al dente and drain.
- Add spinach to the soup and stir until wilted.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve soup hot with pasta added to each bowl and garnish with Parmesan.
Notes
For best texture, cook pasta separately and add to bowls just before serving. Escarole or kale can be used instead of spinach for a more traditional variation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1½ cups
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: italian wedding soup, wedding soup recipe, italian soup, comfort food soup