If you're looking for a cozy, comforting meal, this Italian Wedding Soup is the answer. It’s filled with juicy meatballs, savory broth, fresh spinach, and pasta, making it the perfect soup to warm you up on a chilly day.
This recipe is easy to make and will be a hit with your whole family!
Italian Wedding Soup
My son is a big fan of meatballs, and this soup is no exception.
He loves helping me roll the meatballs, which is always the part I feel lazy to do! This soup is a great way to enjoy meatballs in a rich, flavorful broth.
The name "Italian Wedding Soup" comes from the Italian phrase minestra maritata, meaning "married soup," symbolizing how perfectly the flavors of the broth and meatballs come together – like a happy marriage!
As a healthy food professional, I've been making this soup for years, and it's one of my absolute favorite one-pot meals.
I like to make a big batch and freeze some for later, so I always have a quick, comforting meal ready.
It’s simple to prepare, and I’ll share some helpful tips to make it even easier for you!
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Why This Soup is Yummy
💖 Perfect for Cold Weather: This soup along with Creamy Tuscan Soup, is a classic comfort food, especially in the winter months.
Just like many healthy recipes on this blog, this soup is hearty, flavorful, and warming.
Ingredients
- Ground meat - I use a mix of ground beef and pork for juicy meatballs, but you can use ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option.
- Breadcrumbs - Italian breadcrumbs add flavor and help bind the meatballs. If I am out of these, plain breadcrumbs with a pinch of oregano work too.
- Cheese - Parmesan gives a savory flavor, but Pecorino Romano is a good alternative if you prefer something sharper.
- Broth - Homemade chicken broth adds the best flavor, but low-sodium store-bought works fine too.
- Pasta - Acini de pepe is traditional, but ditalini from my Fagioli soup or orzo work well. Cooking it separately keeps the soup from getting too thick.
- Greens - Spinach is classic, but you can also use escarole, chard, or kale for variety.
- Cheese & parsley - I love to top the soup with grated Parmesan and fresh parsley for added flavor. More cheese never hurts!
Swaps
- Breadcrumbs - If you don’t have regular breadcrumbs, you can substitute panko breadcrumbs for a lighter texture.
- Greens - If you don’t have spinach, try kale, Swiss chard, or collard greens.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
How To Make The Best Italian Wedding Soup
- Prepare the meatballs: Gently mix the meatball ingredients together, being careful not to overwork the meat. Roll the mixture into ¾-inch to 1-inch meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for about 5 minutes. They’ll finish cooking in the soup later. Remove them from the pot and set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Sauté the veggies: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Cook the onion, celery, and carrots for about 6 minutes, until softened.
- Add garlic and spices: Stir in the garlic and Italian spices and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the broth and meatballs: Pour in the broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, then add the meatballs back in. Simmer for 8 minutes.
- Season to taste: Season with salt (my celery salt is perfect for this soup!) and pepper to taste.
- Add spinach and pasta: Add the spinach and cooked pasta. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
- Taste and serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley, then serve!
If you’re a meatball fan, be sure to check out some of my other delicious meatball recipes for more inspiration, like Chicken meatballs, Hot honey meatballs, and Firecracker meatballs.
Why Cook the Pasta Separately?
Pasta can continue cooking in the soup, especially with this type of pasta, and it will absorb the broth, making the soup thicker once it cools.
To prevent this, I recommend cooking the pasta separately.
Julia's Tip: If you're planning to serve the soup right away and won't have leftovers, you can add the uncooked pasta directly to the soup together with the meatballs.
Let it simmer for about 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.
Tips
- Flavor boosters. Add a teaspoon of hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or mustard powder to the soup for extra flavor. You won’t taste them directly, but they enhance the overall taste.
- Browning the meatballs. This step is key! It creates “fond” (browned bits) at the bottom of the pot, which adds depth to the broth. It also gives the meatballs a nice color and texture.
- Frozen meatballs shortcut. If you’re short on time, you can use frozen mini meatballs. No need to brown them first – just toss them straight into the soup until they’re heated through.
- Spinach. If you really need to, you can use frozen spinach instead of fresh – just thaw and pat it dry. I love the texture and flavor when it is fresh though!
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store. Leftovers will last 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Just be mindful that pasta will double up in size and make your soup thicker. If you can, store the pasta separately and add it to the bowl once reheating.
- To Freeze. You can also freeze the soup for 3-4 months.
- To Reheat. To reheat, I gently simmer the soup on the stovetop over low heat.
More Soup Recipes
- Red Lentil Soup with Spinach
- Healthy Cabbage Roll Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Creamy Mushroom Potato Soup
- Shepherd's Pie Soup
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Recipe Card
Italian Wedding Soup
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INGREDIENTS
For Beef and Pork Meatballs
- ½ pounds ground beef , 85% lean
- ½ pounds ground pork
- 1 egg, whisked
- ⅓ cup Italian breadcrumbs, or regular
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For Italian Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¾ cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 cups carrots, diced into cubes
- ½ celery, diced into cubes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 7 ½ cups chicken broth, i like to use homemade for this recipe
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup acini di pepe pasta, uncooked
- 4-5 cups fresh spinach
- salt + pepper, to taste
For Garnish
- grated parmesan cheese, for garnish
- chopped parsley, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the meatballs: Gently mix the meatball ingredients together, being careful not to overwork the meat. Roll the mixture into ¾-inch to 1-inch meatballs.½ pounds ground beef, ½ pounds ground pork, 1 egg, ⅓ cup Italian breadcrumbs, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, 3 cloves garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ cup fresh parsley
- Brown the meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches for about 5 minutes. They’ll finish cooking in the soup later. Remove them from the pot and set aside.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Cook the pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process.¾ cup acini di pepe pasta
- Sauté the veggies: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Cook the onion, celery, and carrots for about 6 minutes, until softened.
- Add garlic and spices: Stir in the garlic and Italian spices and cook for 30 seconds.3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Add the broth and meatballs: Pour in the broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, then add the meatballs back in. Simmer for 8 minutes.7 ½ cups chicken broth
- Season to taste: Season with salt and pepper to taste.salt + pepper
- Add spinach and pasta: Add the spinach and cooked pasta. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes until the spinach wilts.4-5 cups fresh spinach
- Taste and serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley, then serve!grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley
NOTES
- Why Cook Pasta Separately?
When you add pasta directly to the soup, it tends to soak up the broth as it sits, which makes the soup very thick when it cools. To prevent this, I recommend cooking the pasta separately and adding it to each bowl before serving. This way, the soup will stay flavorful and not get too thick. If you plan to eat the soup right away and don’t have leftovers, you can add the uncooked pasta to the soup when you add the meatballs and simmer for about 10 minutes. - To Store. Leftovers will last 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Just be mindful that pasta will double up in size and make your soup thicker. If you can, store the pasta separately and add it to the bowl once reheating.
- To Reheat. To reheat, gently simmer the soup on the stovetop over low heat.
- To Freeze. You can also freeze the soup for 3-4 months.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Julia
What's your favorite Italian soup?