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Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup is a traditional Italian soup made with juicy, herb-Parmesan infused pork meatballs, acini de pepe, carrots, celery, and spinach all simmered in a bold, rich, aromatic, broth - it is MEGA flavorful comfort in a bowl! This recipe is also all made in one pot – no need to bake/sear the meatballs first! This Italian Wedding Soup recipe is customizable with your favorite veggies, favorite pasta and you can even use chicken/turkey instead of Italian sausage/beef for the meatballs. Italian Wedding Soup is make-ahead friendly (tips and tricks included!) stores and reheats beautifully, is freezer friendly irresistibly delicious!
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

  • 1 large egg
  • 8 oz. lean ground beef
  • 8 oz. mild Italian sausage casings removed
  • 1 slice white sandwich bread TOASTED, crust removed, diced
  • 1/2 cup freshly finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or 1 TBS dried
  • 1 tablespoon minced chopped basil or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

SOUP

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • Remaining onion from meatballs
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 15 oz. can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
  • 10 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried oregano, dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp EACH dried thyme, salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup acini di pepe (uncooked) may sub orzo
  • 4 oz fresh baby spinach trimmed (about 3 packed cups)
  • 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice to taste

Instructions

  • Meatballs: Line a baking sheet or cutting board with parchment paper; set aside. Add egg to a large bowl and whisk. Add all remaining meatball ingredients and mix with your hands just until combined. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons scoop, shape the mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on prepared baking sheet; set aside.
  • Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven/soup pot. Add onions, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes; add garlic and sauté one minute.
  • Add beans, chicken broth, and all seasonings. Cover the soup to bring to a simmer, once simmering remove lid and add meatballs. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add pasta and simmer an additional 8-10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and pasta is tender.
  • Stir in the spinach and lemon juice, allow spinach to wilt, about one minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Add additional broth or water if desired for a less chunky soup.