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3.9 from 69 votes

Italian Wedding Soup

There's nothing as warm and comforting as a bowl of homemade Italian wedding soup. This easy recipe is filled with tender, bite-sized meatballs, a rich, silky broth, tiny pasta and swirls of greens and other veggies. Makes a big pot of soup for the whole family.

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 476 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

For The Meatballs:
  • 1 small onion very finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
  • ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon parsley chopped
For The Soup:
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 talks celery diced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 10 cups chicken broth from rotisserie chicken or low-sodium broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • pork meatballs
  • 1 cup pastini or other small pasta like orzo, ditalini, alphabet, or stars
  • 1 tablespoon parmigiano reggiano freshly grated + more for serving
  • 1 large egg
  • 6 ounces fresh spinach

Instructions

Make The Meatballs
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with non-stick vegetable spray.  Set aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  add the onion and garlic and sweat until the onions soften and the mixture is fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat to cool.
  3. Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine the ground pork, kosher salt, oregano, pepper, red pepper flake, egg, breadcrumbs, milk and parmesan.  Add the cooled onion mixture and using clean hands, combine the pork mixture until the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
  4. Scoop out meatball mixture by the teaspoon (I use a miniature ice cream/cookie dough scoop to keep the size consistent) and roll into balls.  Transfer the meatballs to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through, but still soft and tender.  Set aside.
Make The Soup:
  1. In a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the diced onion, carrots, celery and a pinch of salt.  Cook until onions and celery are slightly translucent and softened, 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute, until fragrant.
  2. Add the broth and bay leaf.  Cover and heat to a boil.  Reduce heat to a low simmer and add the meatballs.  Simmer for 15 minutes, then stir in the pasta.  Cook until pasta is al dente -- according to package instructions, stirring occasionaly.
  3. In a small bowl,  combine the parmesan cheese and egg and whisk together until combined.  Stir the soup to create movement and drizzle the egg, cheese mixture into the soup, this will produce loose strands of the egg/cheese amalgam.  Stir in the fresh spinach and heat until the spinach wilts.
  4. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

  • Soup keeps well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 5-7 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories 476kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 45g (15%) Protein 27g (54%) Fat 20g (31%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 92mg (31%) Sodium 486mg (20%) Potassium 783mg (22%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 4765IU (95%) Vitamin C 10.2mg (11%) Calcium 177mg (18%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 476

% Daily Value*

Calories 476kcal 24%
Carbohydrates 45g 15%
Protein 27g 54%
Fat 20g 31%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 92mg 31%
Sodium 486mg 20%
Potassium 783mg 17%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 4765IU 95%
Vitamin C 10.2mg 11%
Calcium 177mg 18%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.