Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Introduction

Italian Wedding Soup is a comforting classic featuring tender mini meatballs, vibrant greens, and small pasta in a flavorful broth. This hearty yet light soup is perfect for any season and brings a taste of tradition to your table.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (sub gluten-free if needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic pressed or grated)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (or 3 tablespoons grated onion or shallot)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese or pecorino romano, grated
• 1 pound ground turkey (or use ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken, better than beef crumbles, beyond beef)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 2 cups carrots, chopped (about 2 large carrots)
• 1 1/2 cups celery, diced (about 3 ribs)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 cups chicken broth, low-sodium
• 5 cups kale, roughly chopped (or escarole, endive, or fresh spinach)
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried, or fresh oregano)
• 1/2 cup small pasta (acini de pepe, pastina, pearl couscous, orzo, or ditalini)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

1. Step 1: Beat the egg with a fork in a medium bowl. Stir in the bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, parsley, and grated parmesan. Mix well, then fold in the ground meat until fully combined.
2. Step 2: Form meatballs by holding a palm-sized portion of the mixture in your non-dominant hand. Pinch off about a teaspoon of meat and gently roll it between your fingers to create small, marble-sized meatballs. This should yield about 80 meatballs.
3. Step 3: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside if needed.
4. Step 4: In the same pot, add a little more olive oil if necessary. Sauté the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper over medium heat. Stir often and cook for about 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
5. Step 5: Pour in the chicken broth, then return the meatballs to the pot. Add kale and thyme. Bring to a simmer.
6. Step 6: Stir in the small pasta and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
7. Step 7: Stir in the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
8. Step 8: Serve the soup hot with extra grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of Aleppo flakes or red pepper flakes if desired.

Tips & Variations

• You can swap kale with escarole, spinach, or endive depending on what you have on hand or prefer.
• For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and substitute meatballs with plant-based crumbles or small falafel balls.
• Make the meatballs ahead and freeze them on a tray for quick soup prep later.
• To speed up cooking, skip browning the meatballs and gently simmer them directly in the broth, but browning adds great flavor.
• Try adding fresh lemon zest for an extra bright note.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over medium heat until warmed through. The pasta may absorb some broth during storage, so you can add a splash of water or broth when reheating to loosen the soup.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use other types of ground meat?

Yes, ground beef, pork, or chicken all work well. You can also use plant-based ground meat alternatives for a vegetarian-friendly option.

What pasta works best in Italian Wedding Soup?

Small pastas such as acini de pepe, pastina, orzo, pearl couscous, or ditalini are ideal because they cook quickly and complement the tiny meatballs.

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 137 reviews

This classic Italian Wedding Soup features tender homemade meatballs simmered in a savory broth with fresh vegetables, kale, and small pasta. Perfectly balanced with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese, this comforting soup is easy to prepare and packed with flavor, ideal for a hearty meal any day of the year.

• Author: Maya
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meatballs

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (sub gluten-free if needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic pressed or grated)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (or 3 tablespoons grated onion or shallot)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese or pecorino romano, grated
• 1 pound ground turkey (or ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken, better than beef crumbles, beyond beef)

Soup Base and Vegetables

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 2 cups carrots, chopped (about 2 large carrots)
• 1 1/2 cup celery, diced (about 3 ribs)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 cups chicken broth, low-sodium
• 5 cups kale, roughly chopped (or escarole, endive, or fresh spinach)
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried (or fresh oregano)
• 1/2 cup small pasta – acini de pepe, pastina, pearl couscous, orzo, or ditalini
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

1. Mix meatball ingredients: Beat the egg with a fork in a medium bowl. Stir in the bread crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, chopped parsley, and grated Parmesan. Mix all ingredients well and then fold in the ground turkey until evenly combined.
2. Form meatballs: Hold a palm-sized portion of the meat mixture in your non-dominant hand. Pinch off about a teaspoon of the mixture and gently roll it between your fingers to form small marble-sized meatballs. This will yield about 80 small meatballs. Consider making the meatballs ahead for easier prep.
3. Cook meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, sear the meatballs to brown them on all sides. Cooking them in the same pot for the soup allows you to preserve and build flavor with the browned bits left behind.
4. Sauté aromatics: Add additional olive oil if needed, then add chopped onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
5. Simmer soup: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth, then add the browned meatballs back into the pot along with the chopped kale, fresh thyme, and small pasta. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the soup for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente and the meatballs are cooked through. Stir in the minced fresh parsley near the end.
6. Adjust and serve: Taste the soup and add additional salt, pepper, and a splash of fresh lemon juice to brighten flavors as desired. Serve hot, topped with extra grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of Aleppo flakes or red pepper flakes for some heat.

Notes

• For a gluten-free option, substitute regular panko with gluten-free bread crumbs and choose a gluten-free small pasta alternative or omit pasta.
• You can prepare the meatballs a day ahead and refrigerate or freeze them to save time.
• Low-sodium chicken broth is recommended to control the saltiness of the soup.
• If preferred, meatballs can also be baked in the oven or cooked directly in the simmering broth without searing, but searing adds extra depth of flavor.
• Substitute kale with escarole, endive, or fresh spinach depending on availability and taste preference.

Keywords: Italian Wedding Soup, meatball soup, Italian soup recipe, kale soup, comfort food soup, healthy soup recipe