Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup is a tender marriage of flavorful, easy-to-make meatballs, fragrant broth, vegetables, and pasta. It's a simple meal, reminiscent of what an Italian grandmother might make in her kitchen.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Servings: servings

Calories: 267kcal

Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

1 large egg
¼ pound ground beef
¼ pound ground pork
¼ cup Italian bread crumbs or panko
¼ cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
1 garlic clove minced or pressed
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper (to taste or a few grinds)

For the Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion chopped, about 1 ½ cups
3 carrots chopped, about 1 ½ cups
2 celery ribs chopped, about 1 ½ cups
1 garlic clove minced or pressed
salt and black pepper to taste
4 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups water
¾ cup uncooked orzo pasta or acini di pepe, or ditalini
2 cups greens like baby spinach

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Instructions

Combine slightly beaten egg, ground meats, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, dry basil and salt in a bowl. Mix gently but thoroughly until combined. Coat hands with olive oil and form into ¾-inch to 1 inch meatballs, and place on a plate or tray.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs and brown on all sides. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat until all the meatballs are browned.

For the Soup

Into the same pot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper to taste and saute until translucent and beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another few seconds.
Pour in the broth and water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the meatballs and dry pasta and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
Turn off the heat and stir in the greens (I'm using a combination of baby spinach and arugula). Let sit until the greens are bright and wilted. Serve topped with Parmesan.

Notes

Reheating: The pasta will continue to absorb the soup's moisture. When reheating, you may need to add additional broth or water.

Storing: The soup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or up to 3 months in the freezer.

Freezing and Thawing the Soup: When freezing the soup, cool it to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, transfer to a pot, and bring to a simmer, adding water or broth as needed.

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