Italian Wedding Soup

5 from 10 votes

This classic recipe for Italian Wedding Soup is a hearty soup made with a rich, flavorful broth, tender meatballs, greens, and pasta.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

Video

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