Italian Wedding Soup is a classic, comforting dish that combines tender meatballs, hearty greens, and flavorful broth in a perfect harmony of textures and tastes. Despite its name, the “wedding” in Italian Wedding Soup doesn’t refer to a celebration but rather the “marriage” of ingredients—meat, vegetables, and broth that come together beautifully to create a soul-warming meal. This soup is a favorite in Italian-American kitchens and is perfect for chilly evenings or as a light, satisfying meal any time of year.
The soup’s base consists of a flavorful, homemade broth typically made with chicken or beef stock. The meatballs are made from ground beef or pork, mixed with breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, and herbs, creating juicy, tender bites of savory goodness. These little meatballs are gently simmered in the broth, adding rich flavors to the soup.
The addition of greens, typically spinach or escarole, brings a vibrant, fresh contrast to the rich broth and meatballs. The greens are cooked just until tender, allowing them to retain their flavor and texture, adding depth to each spoonful. The soup is often finished with a sprinkle of grated parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, enhancing the savory, earthy flavors of the dish.
While Italian Wedding Soup can be made with just meatballs and greens, it’s often served with small pasta, like orzo or acini di pepe, that adds extra heartiness and substance to the dish. The pasta soaks up the flavorful broth, creating a more filling meal.
This soup is versatile and easy to make. It comes together in about an hour, especially if you make the meatballs ahead of time. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd or meal prepping for the week. Italian Wedding Soup also freezes well, so you can always have a comforting, homemade meal ready to go.
Whether you’re cooking for a family dinner or just craving a warm, hearty bowl of soup, Italian Wedding Soup is sure to satisfy. It’s flavorful, nutritious, and deeply comforting, a true marriage of ingredients that comes together in every bite.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef Can also use ground turkey or pork
- 1/2 pound ground pork Can also use ground chicken or beef
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs Preferably Italian-style
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Can also use Pecorino Romano
- 1 egg large, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon dried basil Can also use fresh chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley Can also use fresh chopped parsley
- 8 cups chicken broth Preferably low sodium
- 1 cup small pasta e.g., acini di pepe, orzo, or ditalini
- 3 cups fresh spinach Can also use escarole or kale
- 2 carrots medium, chopped
- 1 onion medium, chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, basil, and parsley. Mix until well combined and form into small meatballs.
- In a large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil. Add meatballs and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Add carrots, onion, celery, and pasta to the pot and simmer until vegetables are tender and pasta is cooked, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in spinach and continue to cook until just wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot with additional grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Super easy to follow! My kids even ate the veggies, which is a win!
Not sure why it’s called wedding soup. Is people getting married supposed to eat this or something?
It’s called wedding soup because it’s a dish that’s traditionally served at weddings in Italy! It’s a delicious way to celebrate! 😊
Why is it called “wedding” soup? Like… is there actually a story or is it just marketing? Either way, it’s pretty good. I used kale and it was a bit tougher, but tasty.
This was too complicated for me. I don’t understand why we need to make meatballs? Can’t just throw in the meat? 🤷♂️
I get where you’re coming from! But making meatballs gives the soup more flavor and texture. It’s not as hard as it looks, I promise! 😊
Yummy! I added more spinach because I love it. Perfect for winter evenings!
Adding more spinach is a great idea! It really makes it healthy. I love this soup too, so cozy!
I don’t know about adding more spinach. Isn’t there already a lot? Just seems like too much green for me.
Soup was good but took too long to make. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
I was skeptical at first since I’m not a fan of spinach, but it turned out delicious! Even my kids liked it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Umm, why is it called ‘wedding’ soup? That makes no sense! But the meatballs were good.
Meh. I thought it would be better. The spinach gets all mushy, yuck. Also, what’s the deal with the weird pasta? Like who even uses those small shapes?
I totally get what you mean! The spinach can get all soggy, and I find the small pasta shapes a bit odd too. They just don’t hold up well. Maybe try a different recipe next time?
This soup is amazing! The meatballs are so flavorful!
Totally agree! This soup is like a warm hug in a bowl. I’ve made it twice already!
I don’t know… I tried it and the meatballs were too dry for me. Maybe I did something wrong?
I thought it was gonna be bland, but the spices really pop!
Is there any alternative for bread crumbs? I’m gluten-free.
It was ok, but I wanted more flavor. Maybe I didn’t put enough basil?
Honestly, I think the soup is fine as it is. Maybe you just need to cook it longer? Sometimes flavors meld better with time.
I think basil’s super important! You could also try adding some garlic or a splash of lemon juice for a zing. It’ll really elevate the flavor!😊
Delicious and easy! Love how healthy it is too with all those veggies. Will make it again for sure!
Yum! I made this for dinner and my whole family loved it! Even the kids who are picky eaters cleared their bowls! More recipes like this, please!
I was skeptical about using so much broth, but it actually turned out great! I added some garlic for extra flavor.
Yummy! My kids finished their bowls in no time. Will make again.
Honestly, I found it kinda bland. Added some hot sauce which helped a lot.
This soup is delish! My family loved it. I used turkey instead of beef, and it turned out great!
It was alright, but my meatballs fell apart. Maybe I need more breadcrumbs? 🤔
Or maybe your meat mixture was too wet? I had that problem once. Adjusting the egg can help too!
Yeah, more breadcrumbs should help! They kinda hold the meatballs together. Maybe try mixing them in with the meat a bit better too. 😊
I made this recipe but forgot the parmesan cheese 😭. Still tasted good but I think it could’ve been better. ⭐⭐⭐
Soup was okay but too much spinach for my taste. Next time, less spinach.
Made this for dinner tonight and it turned out *so* cozy. The meatballs stayed tender and the broth tasted really rich even with low-sodium chicken broth. I used orzo and fresh parsley—10/10 comfort food.
This recipe is a waste of time, who uses that many ingredients??? Ugh, just stick to chicken noodle.
Can I use any meat? Cuz I’m not a fan of pork. 🤷♂️
I tried making it vegan with tofu instead of meat, and it didn’t taste the same. Maybe need to stick to the original.
I get what you mean, tofu can be kinda bland! Sometimes you gotta stick to the classics for that real flavor. Maybe try adding spices next time?
Yum! I used chicken instead of beef and it was still great. Flavorful and filling!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Chicken works great too, good swap!
Great recipe but why use low sodium broth? Just use regular one! More taste!
I actually prefer the low sodium broth. It allows the flavors of the meat and veggies to shine without being too salty! Plus, you can always add salt if you need to. 😊
This soup was fantastic! The meatballs were perfectly seasoned, and the broth had a great flavor. Definitely adding this to my regular rotation!
I totally agree! The meatballs were such a hit! I’d love to try it with ground turkey next time.
This sounds awesome, but I don’t know about that broth. I usually use water for soups. Is that okay?
This soup is so good! I added some extra garlic and it took it to another level.🍜