Description
Italian Wedding Soup is a comforting, classic Italian-American soup featuring tender homemade meatballs, fresh vegetables, and tiny pasta in a savory chicken broth, finished with vibrant spinach and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. This hearty yet light soup is perfect as a warming appetizer or a fulfilling main dish and can be made on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or using an Instant Pot for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- ½ lb. ground beef, 85% lean
- ½ lb. ground pork
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 ¼ 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, uncooked
- 4-5 cups fresh spinach
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To Garnish
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: Gently combine the ground beef, ground pork, beaten egg, Italian breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper without overworking the mixture. Roll the mixture into small ¾-inch diameter meatballs.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for about 2 minutes per batch, browning on all sides. The meatballs will finish cooking in the soup. Remove and set them aside once browned.
- Cook Vegetables: In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook over medium heat for about 6 minutes until the vegetables soften, adding a little olive oil if needed. Then add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for another 1 minute to release the flavors.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, then add the browned meatballs back into the soup. Let the soup simmer while you cook the pasta separately.
- Cook Pasta: Boil the acini de pepe pasta separately until al dente. This prevents the pasta from absorbing too much broth if you plan to store leftovers. Drain the pasta and add it to serving bowls when ready to serve.
- Finish Soup: Stir fresh spinach into the simmering soup and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls over the pasta and garnish generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Flavor Enhancers: Adding 1 teaspoon each of hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard powder when adding Italian seasoning enhances flavor without imparting spiciness. Frank’s Hot Sauce is recommended for mild heat.
- Meatballs should be rolled small (¾ inch) for the perfect bite-size texture in soup.
- Frozen spinach (10 oz.) can substitute fresh spinach—thaw and pat dry before use.
- For a lighter variation, try using chicken meatballs instead of beef and pork.
- Small pasta shapes like Acini Di Pepe, Ditalini, or Orzo work well in this soup.
- Pairs wonderfully with crusty, airy no-knead bread for dipping.
- Storage: Refrigerate soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days or freeze for 3-4 months. Freeze without pasta and cook fresh pasta when serving leftovers.
- Slow Cooker and Instant Pot methods are available for convenience; always cook pasta separately to avoid sogginess during storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups soup with pasta
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
