Italian Wedding Soup is a warm and substantial soup consisting of soft mini meatballs, some fresh vegetables, leafy greens, and a little pasta all cooked in a tasty broth; it is reassuring, satisfying, and ideal for serving at a family meal. Each mouthful contains savory meatballs, tender vegetables, pasta, and a rich taste of Parmesan.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Soup / Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients:
For the Mini Meatballs
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken broth
¾ cup small pasta, such as acini di pepe or orzo
3 cups fresh spinach or escarole, chopped
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and black pepper, to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions:
Take the ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper and put them all into a big bowl. Then mix them together gently until they are combined.
Form the mixture into small meatballs, approximately ¾ to 1 inch in diameter and put them on a clean plate or tray.
- Place the olive oil in a large soup pot and heat it over medium heat. Then add the onion, the carrots, and the celery and cook them for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add some minced garlic and cook it for about 30 to 60 seconds until it smells fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and then put in the Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Bring the broth to a gentle boil.
- Take the mini meatballs and add them to the broth which is simmers. Then turn the heat down to medium-low and cook them for about 8 to 10 minutes until they are cooked through.
- Throw in the pasta and stir it gently, then cook it for about 7 to 10 minutes as instructed on the package, until it is tender.
- Chop the spinach or escarole and then stir it into the soup. Cook it for 2 to 3 minutes until the greens have wilted and become tender.
- Taste the soup and make any necessary adjustments to the salt and black pepper. Then stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.
Add some fresh parsley to the soup and stir it gently.
- Pour the hot Italian Wedding Soup into serving bowls and add extra Parmesan cheese if you wish.
- Serve at once with crusty Italian bread, garlic bread, or a simple green salad.
Helpful Tips:
Make the meatballs small so that they cook quickly and are easy to eat.
Do not overmix the meatball mixture if you want the meatballs to remain tender.
You can use acini di pepe, orzo, or other small pasta.
To add the pasta put it in towards the end so that it doesn’t become too soft.
The soup acquires a more rich flavour as a result of using freshly grated Parmesan.
Spinach may be substituted with escarole or kale.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with:
Crusty Italian bread
Garlic bread
Toasted baguette
Fresh green salad
Extra Parmesan cheese
Storage:
You can keep leftover soup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for three to four days.
If you are reheating it, add some extra chicken broth since the pasta has absorbed too much liquid.
Freezing:
To achieve the best texture, freeze the soup without including the pasta and keep it in a freezer-safe container for a maximum of 2 to 3 months.
Put it in the refrigerator to thaw over night, reheat it, and then add the pasta that has been freshly cooked.
Recipe Notes:
Ground turkey or Italian sausage can be used in place of the ground beef. If you want a more intense flavour, then use a mixture of ground beef and pork.
Escarole is traditional, but you can use spinach or kale instead for a simple home-made version.
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
Method