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Italian Wedding Soup is a hearty, flavorful Italian classic that's both comforting and delicious. Featuring homemade meatballs, tender pasta, and greens in a rich, nuanced broth, you won't believe just how quickly this soup comes together!
Despite its name, Italian wedding soup isn't traditionally served at weddings, nor does it have anything to do with weddings or marriage. Instead, just like Marry Me Chicken, the name refers to the marriage of ingredients. And the flavors make it memorable.
Kristen Key Tips for The Best Wedding Soup
For an Italian Wedding Soup worthy of any dinner party, pay attention to a few key tips.
- If time permits, opt for homemade meatballs. Starting this recipe with my homemade Italian meatballs instead of using store-bought, adds insane flavor to the soup. But a bag of frozen meatballs works if that is all you have time for!
- Use fresh parmesan, not parmesan from a canister. Not only is the flavor superior, but it will evenly melt into the soup, giving the broth a rich and creamy consistency.
- Spinach is best, as the delicate flavors of the spinach won't overwhelm the soup as heartier greens, like kale or escarole, can.
5-star Reader Review
This is a KEEPER! First time making Italian Wedding Soup for me, and this was absolutely delicious... It turned out perfect. I will absolutely make again, over and over! TASTY! -Cyd ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Meatballs. Combine the binders and seasonings for the meatballs together in a large mixing bowl. Add the meat to the mixture and gently mix to combine. Form into ¾ inch to 1-inch-sized balls and place on a rimmed baking dish.
- Bake the Meatballs. While I prefer baking the meatballs for the best texture and lighter soup, I do offer instructions in the recipe card on how to brown them on the stove, if desired.
- Saute the Vegetables. While the meatballs are baking, saute the onions, carrots, and celery in a large soup pan in a bit of olive oil. Once the veggies are nearly softened, add in the garlic and saute briefly just to toast.
- Deglaze with Wine. Add in the wine (or additional) broth and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan--this adds incredible flavor to the soup.
- Simmer The Soup. Add in the chicken broth, oregano, and red pepper flakes, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, which gives the broth time to really develop flavor.
- Add Meatballs and Pasta. Add the prepared baked meatballs and pasta to the simmering soup. Cook until the pasta is just about tender.
- Add Greens. Stir in the spinach and parsley and cook for 2 minutes, allowing the spinach to wilt.
- Whisk in Eggs and Parmesan. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and grated parmesan cheese. Give the soup a stir in a circular motion, and with the soup still spinning, gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring with a fork to break the egg mixture into thin ribbons. Cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
Recipe Modifications
- Omit the Wine. Adding a dry white wine to the soup helps to give a rich depth of flavor that broth cannot achieve. That said, feel free to replace the wine with additional chicken broth if you don't cook with alcohol.
- Use Frozen Meatballs. Drop small, frozen Italian-style meatballs into the broth when simmering.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: To store leftovers, allow the soup to cool slightly and then place it into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: To freeze leftover soup, allow the soup to cool slightly and then place it into a freezer-safe container, leaving about 1 inch of space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Defrost in the refrigerator, if needed and then reheat individual servings in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or large batches over medium-low heat, adding additional water or chicken broth, as needed.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
Craving more cozy soups? Check out out all my easy stove top soup recipes (or Instant Pot soup recipes) or choose a favorite below.
Italian Wedding Soup
This classic recipe for Italian Wedding Soup is a hearty soup made with a rich, flavorful broth, tender meatballs, greens, and pasta.
Video
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup acini di pepe, or ozo
- 6 oz fresh spinach, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 450℉ (230℃).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, and pinch crushed red pepper flakes together. Add 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey to the mixture and just combine. Do not over mix, but be sure seasonings are well dispersed.
- Shape the meatballs into ¾ inch to 1-inch sized balls, using a small cookie scoop, and place them onto a rimmed baking sheet.
- Pour ½ cup of beef broth around the meatballs and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until just browned.
Italian Wedding Soup
- While the meatballs are baking, heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 1 cup diced yellow onion, 1 cup diced celery, and 1 cup diced carrot, and saute until veggies have softened for about 6 - 8 minutes. Add in 1 tablespoon minced garlic and saute 1 minute longer.
- Add in ½ cup dry white wine and turn the heat to high. Use a spatula to scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, while letting the wine cook off for about 2 minutes.
- Add 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, and 1 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add the meatballs, along with any juices remaining on the rimmed pan, and ¾ cup acini di pepe. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, or until the pasta is just about tender.
- Stir in 6 oz fresh spinach and ¼ cup fresh parsley and cook for 2 minutes, allowing the spinach to wilt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs with ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese . Stir the soup in a circular motion, and with the soup still spinning, gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring with a fork to break the egg mixture into thin ribbons. Cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat and season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and parsley as desired.
Notes
Ground Meat: For the meatballs, I recommend using lean ground meat, like ground sirloin, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
To Pan-Fry Meatballs: If you would like to brown the meatballs in the pan, instead of baking the meatballs, prepare the meatballs as directed. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan, and brown the meatballs on each side, until golden and crispy. Remove the meatballs from the pan and proceed with the directions for preparing the soup.
Using Frozen Meatballs: Add 20-25 frozen small, Italian-style meatballs to the soup when simmering the vegetables and broth.
Wine: Use a dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. And remember, any time you cook with wine, select one that is worth drinking. You never want to use cooking wine, as the flavor is not comparable. If you don’t drink wine, simply use additional chicken broth.
Frozen Spinach: Feel free to use 10 ounces of thawed, and drained frozen spinach. Add to the soup when the fresh spinach is added.
Using Other Greens: If opting to use a heartier green, such as kale, mustard greens, or escarole, be sure to remove the stem, chop into bite-size pieces, and add when you add the pasta, as they need longer cooking time than spinach.
Broth: Feel free to replace the beef broth in the meatballs with chicken broth, but do not use anything other than chicken broth for the soup.
Storage: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature and then place into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Alternatively, place the cooled soup into a freezer-safe container, leaving space for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions: Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or large batches over medium-low heat, adding additional water or chicken broth, as needed until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 201kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 18gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 418mgPotassium: 525mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3362IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published in 2021 and updated in 2025.
Unfortunately the store did not have orzo. So I opted for jasmine.
Not a wine drinker so I left it out.
Delish
LOVE this recipe! I used gluten free Pablo crumbs and made the meatballs smaller, to fit on a spoon with other ingredients. Yummmmmmm… waiting fir the Instant Pot version.
Thanks for your recipes. 🙂
I made this using almond flour in place of bread crumbs and GF rice pasta. It turned out great! Thanks for another yummy recipe!
Thank you for sharing your modifications!
Love hearing about the origin of the name!! The ingredients really go so well together!! It's on our monthly rotation!
YAY! It makes me so happy to hear this earns a spot on your monthly rotation. Thanks for taking the time to share Natalie.
Hearty & delicious!! Love the meatballs & the flavor is so good!!
Oh my goodness, this soup was such a hit at my house! The kids went crazy over the meatballs and my husband I thought the overall depth of flavor of the soup was fantastic. Thanks for a great recipe...I'm so excited to add this to our fall and winter dinner rotation!
Is there an Instant Pot recipe for this?
Not yet! I am working on perfecting cooking the pasta and developing a rich broth 🙂