This Italian Wedding Soup is the kind of comforting, cozy meal that you’ll be dreaming of all year long. With tender little meatballs, delicate greens, acini di pepe, and a flavorful broth, it’s simple, satisfying, and perfect for any night of the week.
This is my spin on Italian Wedding Soup, aka broth with mini meatballs and lots of chunky vegetables. This is one of my favorite chunky soups because it strikes the perfect balance between comforting and light and healthy. I’m embarrassed to admit that I originally thought the name was based on an Italian tradition of serving it at weddings. I was so wrong, my Italian grandparents would be horrified. The name actually comes from the Italian phrase ‘minestra maritata’, which translates to married soup and is a reference to the combination (aka marriage) of the greens and meat in the soup. Chunky soups are one of my favorite things to eat with a golden brown, crusty slice of bread to soak up all the goodness.
Why You Will Love This
- It’s warm, comforting, and perfect any time of year; truly the definition of cozy!
- This is one the whole family is going to love. My kids especially love the meatballs.
- It comes together with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
- You can modify this recipe to make it fit any dietary restrictions, and no one will even know!
- This is definitely one to go to for meal-prep day because it stores and reheats beautifully.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Meat: I love the combo of ground beef and mild Italian sausage, but you can mix it up with your favorite ground meat.
- Fresh Parsley: I love fresh herbs in meatballs, but you can also use dried parsley if you prefer.
- Fresh Garlic: Finely minced garlic with a garlic press or grated on a microplane grater gives the best results.
- Egg: A large egg works to bind the meatballs together.
- Salt: Kosher salt or sea salt will work great to enhance the flavor.
- Yellow Onion: I prefer the onion flavor from a yellow onion, but you can also use a white onion.
- Bread Crumbs: You can use regular bread crumbs or Italian bread crumbs. Panko breadcrumbs will also work.
- Olive Oil: Used to saute the veggies. You can also use avocado oil or refined coconut oil.
- Vegetables: I love the combo of carrots, celery, and fresh spinach or kale, but I have some suggestions below for a variety of options.
- Chicken Stock: A delicious, rich base to the broth. You can also use chicken broth if you prefer.
- Lemon Juice: A bit of fresh lemon juice adds brightness and zest to the broth.
- Acini di Pepe Pasta: This is a tiny, pebbly, pearl-like pasta that is one of the best parts of this delicious recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese: I like to use finely grated Parmesan cheese for this. It adds an incredible, bold, umami flavor right at the end.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Large Bowl
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Soup Ladle
Pasta on the side
If you expect leftovers, cook the pasta on the side and add it when serving so it doesn’t get mushy.
be consistent
Keep the meatballs bite-sized. They cook quickly, stay tender, and make the soup easier to eat.
How to Make This Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs and mix until well incorporated.
- Use your hands to roll the mixture into balls and arrange them on a plate.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the meatballs until browned (don’t worry if they aren’t cooked through).
- Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion begins to soften, and then add in the carrots and celery and saute for another 4-5 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock and lemon juice, bring to a simmer, add the pasta (it should still be undercooked), then add the meatballs. Continue to cook until the pasta is al dente. Add in the spinach and stir for a minute until the spinach has wilted, and then remove the pot from the heat.
- Divide the soup between bowls and serve with garnishes.
How to Modify
- You can use any tiny pasta, such as orzo, ditalini, or couscous.
- Use a different variety of meat. You can use all beef, or use plain ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
- Try mushrooms, leaks, or zucchini for substitutes or in addition to the vegetables listed on the recipe card.
- If you want an added kick of protein and fiber, cannellini beans would be a delicious addition to this soup.
- Add a kick of spice with red pepper flakes as a garnish.
Dietary Customizations
- Low-Carb: Cauliflower rice is a fantastic substitute for pasta, and it will make this so light and comforting.
- Dairy-Free: Use a non-dairy Parmesan cheese as a garnish, or omit it altogether.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free orzo or stelline from Jovial. Cooked white or brown rice would also be a great alternative to the pasta.
Serving Suggestions
Of course, you can’t skip the crusty bread to enjoy with this delicious soup. But you also don’t want to miss a salad. I especially BLT Cauliflower Salad with Ranch Dressing, Wedge Salad, Grilled Kale Caesar, or Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad.
If you’re looking for an appetizer, try Creamy Butter Beans with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes or Balsamic Zucchini and Pepper Crostini.
Common Questions
Despite the name, it’s not actually served at weddings. “Wedding” refers to the marriage of flavors between the meat, greens, and broth. Believe me, I had its name confused with something else for a very long time.
Yes! It actually tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop. I would suggest waiting to add the pasta until you’re ready to serve, or it will become too mushy.
Bring the soup to room temperature before storing it for next time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, warm on the stove over medium heat or warm in the microwave. You can also store the leftovers in the freezer for 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat over medium heat on the stovetop.
More Soups You Will Love
- Miso French Onion Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli
- Chorizo, Corn, and Potato Chowder
- Hearty Beef and Vegetable Stew
- Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
If you make this Italian Wedding Soup, let me know in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lbs ground chicken or turkey
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/3 cup parsley chopped
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup grated onion
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
Soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 large leek chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cups curly kale roughly chopped
- 2 cups tuscan kale (cavolo nero) roughly chopped
- 2 eggs whisked
- 1 tbsp parsley to garnish chopped
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and line a baking tray with parchment paper
- Combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl and work with your hands until everything is well mixed.
- Form the mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs, it should make approximately 16-20 balls.
- Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake them in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until they are cooked through and slightly golden in colour.
Soup
- In a large pot or dutch oven heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add in the diced onion, garlic, leeks and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the chicken broth and lemon juice to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the kale to the soup along with the cooked meatballs.
- Increase the heat so that the soup is just gently boiling and using a fork slowly pour in the egg in a thin stream. Don’t pour too quickly otherwise you will get chunky clumps of egg in the soup. If you are going to freeze the soup I recommend skipping this step and waiting to add the egg right before eating.
- Garnish the soup with parsley before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
How long do you simmer the kale and meatballs for??
The flavors are good but this recipe took about 50% longer to make than it said it would. I also agree with a previous commenter that not adding any salt to the recipe is strange, I added a bit of kosher salt to the meatballs and the onions while cooking to enhance the recipe’s flavor. Tasted fine overall, but I probably wouldn’t make again (and I’m a serious soup lover).
You NEED to put salt in your meatballs. You NEED to put salt in the soup. This recipe does not call for any salt at all.
Whoa Chris,, it’s ok. Just put the salt in :/
Such a fresh taste! I didn’t have almond flour so I used some quick microwave quinoa for the binder in the meatball and spinach in place of the kale.
Hi! As the recipe states this is 6 servings, I am just wondering what the size of each is. Are they approximately 2 cup servings?
Looking forward to making this one! Thank you!
Yes thats right, 1 serving is a large bowl full which should be approx 2 cups.
We love this soup! We use SCD, too, and this is a wonderful addition to our recipe book!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed it Tess!
This looks absolutely delicious. I’d call it a self care meal, especially in these PNW winters! I can’t wait to make this. Thank you!
Definitely, a warm bowl of soup is always my favourite way to brighten a wet and cold winters day. Let me know if you make it!