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Warm up your evening with a bowl of my Italian Wedding Soup, a delightful mix of savory meatballs, tender veggies, and tiny pasta pearls. It’s the ultimate comfort dish, perfect for bringing the family together.
The Best Italian Wedding Soup
Let me tell you about my Italian Wedding Soup, it’s a recipe that’s close to my heart. Each spoonful is a blend of rich, savory broth and perfectly seasoned, juicy meatballs, coupled with tender vegetables and delightful pasta pearls. It’s not just a soup, it’s a whole experience in a bowl, perfect for those days when you need a little comfort and a lot of flavor.
Pro Tip
Don’t rush the browning of the meatballs. Taking that extra time to get them perfectly browned on all sides adds incredible depth to the flavor of the soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For Meatballs
- Ground Meat: I’m using a combination of ground beef and ground pork today.
- Large Egg: Helps to bind the meatballs.
- Italian Breadcrumbs: For texture and moisture in the meatballs. You can substitute them with regular or Panko breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan Cheese: It’s not an Italian meatball without some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. You can replace it with some Pecorino Romano if you wish.
- Garlic: Adds a punch of flavor. Fresh is best, but garlic powder works in a pinch.
- Fresh Parsley: For a herby touch in the meatballs. Feel free to sub with some dried parsley, if that’s all you have.
- Salt and Pepper: Adjust to taste.
For Italian Wedding Soup
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the veggies, and browning the meatballs.
- Onion, Carrots and Celery: The base mirepoix of any good soup.
- Chicken Broth: Opt for low sodium to control the salt level.
- Dry White Wine: Adds depth to the broth, but it’s optional. I recommend a Pinot Grigio or a Sauvignon Blanc.
- Acini di Pepe Pasta: These little pasta bits are perfect for soup. If you don’t have any, feel free to replace with orzo or small shells.
- Fresh Spinach: You can replace with some kale, if you wish.
- Extra Grated Parmesan Cheese: Perfect for serving, because a little extra cheese never hurts!
Make The Meatballs
First things first, let’s tackle the meatballs. Mix together the ground beef, ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, and a bit of salt and pepper. Once combined, roll this mixture into small, bite-sized meatballs.
Brown The Meatballs
Next up, heat some olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Brown the meatballs on all sides – this is key to locking in those juicy flavors. Once they’re beautifully browned, remove them from the pot and set them aside.
Sauté The Veggies
In the same pot, add a bit more olive oil, then toss in your chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté these until they start to soften, letting their natural sweetness come out.
Bring The Soup Together
Now, pour in the chicken broth and a splash of white wine. Bring it all to a boil, then add in your acini di pepe pasta. Let it simmer until the pasta is al dente.
Finishing Touches
Finally, return the meatballs to the pot and continue to simmer everything together for a few minutes. Then, stir in the fresh spinach until it wilts. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, and you’re ready to serve!
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the Italian Wedding Soup ahead of time?
Absolutely! This soup actually tastes even better the next day, as the flavors have more time to meld together. Just store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, gently reheat it on the stove. If the soup has thickened too much, feel free to add a bit more broth or water to adjust the consistency.
How can I thicken the soup if it’s too thin?
If you find the soup too thin for your liking, an easy fix is to dissolve a tablespoon of cornstarch in a little cold water and stir it into the simmering soup. Let it cook for a few minutes to thicken. Alternatively, simply simmer the soup a bit longer to reduce and concentrate the flavors, which will also naturally thicken it.
Expert Tips
- Sear Meatballs Properly: Ensure you brown the meatballs well before adding them to the soup.
- Simmer, Don’t Boil: When cooking the soup, keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil. This ensures that the ingredients cook evenly and the flavors meld perfectly.
- Adjust Pasta Quantity: If you prefer a soupier consistency, use less pasta, as it absorbs quite a bit of the broth.
- Spinach at the End: Add the spinach just before serving to maintain its color and texture. Overcooking it can lead to it becoming too wilted and losing its vibrant green color.
Storage
To store the Italian Wedding Soup, let it cool to room temperature and then refrigerate it in an airtight container; it’ll keep well for up to 4 days.
For freezing, I recommend leaving out the pasta when initially making the soup, as pasta can become mushy once thawed. The soup without pasta freezes beautifully in an airtight container for up to 3 months – just add freshly cooked pasta when you’re ready to reheat and serve!
Discover More Soups
- Pasta Fagioli
- Zucchini Soup
- Instant Pot Creamy Potato Sausage Soup
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Black Bean Soup
Italian Wedding Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Meatballs
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 large egg beaten
- ¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
For The Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 8 cups chicken broth low sodium
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup acini di pepe pasta
- 1 cup fresh spinach roughly chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese grated, for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and set aside.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until they are browned on all sides and cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté the vegetables until they start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and white wine and bring to a boil. Add the acini di pepe pasta, and simmer until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.
- Return the meatballs to the pot and continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
- Stir in the fresh spinach and cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with extra grated Parmesan cheese.
Tips & Notes:
- If using leaner meats like turkey or chicken for the meatballs, consider adding a bit of olive oil to keep them moist.
- For a gluten-free version, opt for gluten-free breadcrumbs in the meatballs and a suitable pasta alternative.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of vegetables to your liking or based on what you have on hand.
- To keep the pasta from absorbing too much broth if storing, cook it separately and add to individual servings.
