Italian Wedding Soup
User Reviews
5
12 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
20 mins
-
Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
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Servings
12 cups
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Calories
199 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Italian Wedding Soup
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Italian Wedding Soup features tender meatballs made from ground chicken and pork seasoned with Italian herbs, combined with diced vegetables, pasta, and leafy spinach in a flavorful chicken broth. The meatballs are pan-fried before simmering to develop a browned exterior and deepen the soup's taste. The broth is enriched by cooking the meatballs, vegetables, and pasta together, resulting in a comforting and balanced soup.
Description
This Italian Wedding Soup starts with small meatballs created from ground chicken, pork, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, and dried herbs. The meatballs are browned in batches to form a crust and incorporate flavorful drippings into the pot. Vegetables like carrot, celery, onion, and garlic are sautéed in olive oil until soft, building the base of the soup.
After adding chicken broth and a bay leaf, the soup simmers while cooking small pasta shapes and fresh spinach, absorbing the combined flavors. The resulting broth is savory with herbal notes and tender veggies complementing the bite-sized, moist meatballs. Parmesan and parsley garnishes add brightness and extra umami.
This hearty soup works well as a main meal or a first course. Fresh herb garnishes like parsley or alternatives and a squeeze of lemon juice can enhance the final flavor. The pan-fry step for meatballs adds browning and a depth of taste otherwise missing if they were only poached.
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Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- ½ lb. ground chicken
- ½ lb. ground pork
- ¼ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Soup:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 large carrot peeled and diced, or 3-4 smaller carrots
- 2 talks celery diced
- ½ onion diced, large
- 2 teaspoons garlic about 2 large cloves, minced
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf dried
- 1 cup small pasta such as acini di pepe, orzo, stelline or ditalini, uncooked
- 5 ounces spinach fresh baby
- parsley optional garnish, chopped, grated
- Parmesan Cheese optional garnish, chopped, grated
Instructions
Make the Meatballs
- In a large bowl, use your hands or a fork to gently combine all of the meatball ingredients. Use a tablespoon or a small scoop to shape the mixture into small meatballs. Arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet or other large tray.
Stovetop Method
- In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or enough to coat the bottom of the pot) over medium-high heat. Place half of the meatballs in a single layer in the pot. Cook the meatballs until nicely browned, about 1-2 minutes per side (they do not need to be completely cooked through). Transfer the meatballs to a tray and repeat with additional oil and remaining meatballs. Set browned meatballs aside.
- Leave the browned bits and drippings in the pot and heat another 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft – about 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Add broth and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to medium or medium-low so that the broth is simmering.
- Stir in the pasta and meatballs. Cook until the pasta is tender (if using acini de pepe this will take about 10 minutes, for orzo this will be about 7-9 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, discard bay leaf, and stir in the spinach. The heat of the broth will wilt the spinach almost instantly. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish each serving with chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Alternate Slow Cooker Instructions
- Prepare the meatballs as instructed and pan-fry in a skillet.
- Place the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and bay leaf in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the fried meatballs on top and pour 8 cups of broth over top (this is less broth than the stovetop method, because the slow cooker adds a lot of condensation back into the soup).
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
- During the final 15-20 minutes of cooking, stir in the dry pasta. Cover and continue cooking until the pasta is tender.
- Add the spinach to the pot at the very end and stir just until the leaves wilt.
Notes
- Frying meatballs in batches ensures they brown evenly and develop flavor without steaming.
- Use fresh herbs such as parsley or dill as garnish to add brightness before serving.
- A splash of lemon juice brought to the table can enhance the soup’s savory taste.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1cup
Calories
199kcal
(10%)
Carbohydrates
14g
(5%)
Protein
11g
(22%)
Fat
11g
(17%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Cholesterol
46mg
(15%)
Sodium
909mg
(38%)
Potassium
460mg
(10%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
2844IU
(57%)
Vitamin C
18mg
(20%)
Calcium
72mg
(7%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 199 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cup | |
| Calories | 199kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 14g | 5% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 46mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 909mg | 38% |
| Potassium | 460mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 2844IU | 57% |
| Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 72mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
12 reviews
Excellent
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