Italian Wedding Soup
I love making Italian Wedding Soup when I want homemade comfort food that fills everyone up without taking hours in the kitchen. The meatballs are tender and loaded with Parmesan and garlic, and every bowl has pasta, spinach, and rich flavorful broth in one warming, filling meal. I make it for Sunday dinners, cold winter nights, and meal prep. It stays fresh in the fridge for about 4 days or freezes for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground meat beef and pork mixture
- 1 large egg beaten
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the Soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 ¼ cups carrots diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup short pasta uncooked
- 4 to 5 cups fresh spinach
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For Garnish:
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently combine all meatball ingredients until just mixed. Do not overwork. Roll into small meatballs about ¾ inch in size.1 pound lean ground meat, 1 large egg, ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 3 garlic cloves, ⅓ cup fresh parsley, Salt and black pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for about 2 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove and set aside. The meatballs will finish cooking in the soup.1 tablespoon olive oil
- In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook over medium heat for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add a small splash of olive oil if needed.1 cup yellow onion, 1 ¼ cups carrots, 2 celery ribs
- Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 3 garlic cloves
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer.8 cups chicken broth
- Return the meatballs to the pot. Add the pasta and simmer until the pasta is al dente.¾ cup short pasta
- During the last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in the spinach and let it wilt.4 to 5 cups fresh spinach
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.Salt and black pepper
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese before serving.Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Notes
Here's what I've learned from making Italian Wedding Soup over the years:
- Don't overmix the meatballs: Use a fork or your hands to mix the meat just until the ingredients come together, then stop. Overworking makes them dense and tough instead of tender.
- Brown the meatballs in batches: Crowding the pot steams them instead of browning them, and you'll miss out on that golden crust and extra flavor.
- Cook the vegetables to crisp-tender: Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for about 6 minutes until they're crisp-tender, which means softened but still with a slight bite.
- Customize the soup to your taste: Use low-sodium broth for more control over salt levels, try acini de pepe, pastina, pearl couscous, orzo, or ditalini for the pasta, swap kale for spinach if you want a heartier texture (add it 5-7 minutes before done), use plain bread crumbs with a pinch of oregano in the meatballs, season with Diamond Crystal kosher salt at the end, and garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or basil.
- Add more liquid when reheating: The pasta absorbs broth as it sits, so stir in extra chicken broth or water to loosen it up.
- Flash-freeze the meatballs: Freeze the uncooked meatballs on a sheet pan for 1 hour, then transfer them to a freezer bag so they don't stick together, and you can grab exactly how many you need.
Nutrition
Calories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 19gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 1097mgPotassium: 497mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5045IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 3mg
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