Best Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
Get ready for the best Italian wedding soup you’ll ever taste! This delicious comfort food is packed with homemade meatballs, fresh vegetables, and small bits of pasta. Perfect for any day of the year!
Today, I’m excited to share with you a recipe for a classic Italian soup: wedding soup. This soup is a hearty and comforting combination of meatballs, vegetables, and pasta in a savory broth. It’s the perfect meal for a cold winter day, and it’s sure to become a new family favorite.
The meatball recipe alone is worth it’s own post, but I’m going to share it with you on this recipe as you have to have the best meatballs to go with this delicious soup. These meatballs are made with a combination of lean ground beef and ground pork, which adds a rich, savory flavor and helps to keep them moist and tender.
Why do I like this recipe?
There are so many things that I love about this recipe! First of all, the meatballs are incredibly flavorful and succulent. The combination of ground beef and pork gives them a rich, savory taste, while the parsley, oregano, and parmesan add a burst of fresh, herby flavor. The bread crumbs help to bind everything together and keep the meatballs tender, while the egg adds a little bit of moisture.
I also love the fact that this recipe includes a variety of vegetables, which add both flavor and nutrition to the soup. The carrots, onion, and celery add a subtle sweetness, while the garlic adds a punch of savory depth. The spinach adds a pop of color and a boost of vitamins and minerals.
Finally, I love the fact that this recipe is so easy to make. The meatballs can be made ahead of time and frozen until you’re ready to use them, and the soup comes together quickly on the stovetop. It’s the perfect meal for a busy weeknight, but it’s also fancy enough to serve at a dinner party.
Overall, I think this recipe is a winner because it’s delicious, healthy, and easy to make. I hope you’ll give it a try and see for yourself just how tasty it is!
To make this delicious soup, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Meatballs:
8 oz lean ground beef
8 oz ground pork ( or just use one type of meat but remember to double it if you do)
1/2 cup fresh hearty white bread crumbs*
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan
1 large egg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
Soup:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cups 1/4-inch diced carrots
1 1/4 cups diced yellow onion
3/4 cup 1/4-inch diced celery
4 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 Tbsp)
5 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry acini de pepe or orzo pasta**
6 oz fresh spinach, chopped
Finely shredded parmesan, for serving
Here’s how you make it:
To begin, let’s make the meatballs. Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, parmesan, egg, and a pinch of salt and pepper until well combined. Using your hands, roll the mixture into small, golf ball-sized meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the pan and cook them until they’re browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until they’re cooked through.
While the meatballs are cooking, heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to the pot and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the pasta to the pot. Simmer the soup until the pasta is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Finally, add the cooked meatballs and chopped spinach to the pot and stir to combine. Cook the soup for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted. Serve the soup hot, with a sprinkle of parmesan on top.
I hope you enjoy this delicious and comforting recipe for Italian wedding soup. Buon appetito!
*Note: To make your own bread crumbs, simply pulse a few slices of stale white bread in a food processor until they’re finely ground. **Note: Acini de pepe are small, round pasta shapes, but orzo can be used as a substitute.
Questions I Get Asked About This Recipe
Q: Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef and pork in the meatballs?
A: Yes, you can certainly use ground turkey as a substitute for the ground beef and pork in this recipe. Ground turkey is a leaner option, so you may need to add a little bit of oil or another moistening ingredient (such as an egg or some bread crumbs) to keep the meatballs from drying out.
Q: Is it necessary to cook the meatballs in the oven? Can I just cook them on the stovetop?
A: It’s not strictly necessary to cook the meatballs in the oven, but it can help to ensure that they’re cooked through and evenly browned. If you prefer, you can just cook the meatballs on the stovetop in a large skillet until they’re browned on all sides and cooked through. Just be sure to turn them frequently to ensure even cooking.
Q: Can I use another type of pasta in this soup instead of acini de pepe or orzo?
A: Yes, you can certainly use another type of pasta in this soup if you prefer. Some good options might include small shells, ditalini, or even spaghetti broken into small pieces. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed to ensure that the pasta is tender.
Q: Is it possible to make this soup vegetarian or vegan?
A: To make this soup vegetarian or vegan, you’ll need to omit the meatballs and use a vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You can also try using a plant-based protein (such as crumbled tofu or tempeh) as a substitute for the meat in the meatballs. Just be sure to adjust the seasoning as needed to suit your taste.
Printable Recipe
Italian Wedding Soup
This soup is a hearty and comforting combination of meatballs, vegetables, and pasta in a savory broth. It's the perfect meal for a cold winter day, and it's sure to become a new family favorite.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 8 oz lean ground beef
- 8 oz ground pork
- 1/2 cup fresh hearty white bread crumbs*
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh oregano
- 1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan
- 1 large egg
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Soup
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups 1/4-inch diced carrots
- 1 1/4 cups diced yellow onion
- 3/4 cup 1/4-inch diced celery
- 4 cloves garlic , minced (1 1/2 Tbsp)
- 5 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup dry acini de pepe or orzo pasta**
- 6 oz fresh spinach , chopped
- Finely shredded parmesan , for serving
Instructions
- To begin, let's make the meatballs. Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, parmesan, egg, and a pinch of salt and pepper until well combined. Using your hands, roll the mixture into small, golf ball-sized meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the pan and cook them until they're browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until they're cooked through.
- While the meatballs are cooking, heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to the pot and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the pasta to the pot. Simmer the soup until the pasta is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
- Finally, add the cooked meatballs and chopped spinach to the pot and stir to combine. Cook the soup for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted. Serve the soup hot, with a sprinkle of parmesan on top.
Notes
You can just choose one type of meat for the meatballs. Most people prefer ground beef for the depth, but turkey for less fat. Both or all meats combined are still very delicious.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it on your social media! I would love for more people to try this delicious and easy-to-make dessert. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you! Shhh… Join our secret foodie group on Facebook.
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