When I want a hearty and filling soup, there is nothing quite like a classic Italian Wedding Soup with delicious little beef meatballs and orzo! This was one soup we grew up having once a week in the summer and continue to enjoy through the Fall!
If you love Italian soup, you HAVE to give these a try: Pasta Fagioli with Spinach, EASY Chicken Farro Soup, Classic Italian Minestrone, or White Bean Lentil Soup.
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Why This Recipe?
Your family is going to love this dish. You'll have plenty of leftovers and it's so hearty and filling. The meatballs are so delicious when they are fried this way. The soup is silky and delicious.
Although it's not actually served at Italian weddings this dish is called Italian Wedding soup because its translation from minestra maritata (married soup) got a little confusing for people. The soup is called "married" because of the marrying of meat and vegetables together in the soup. It's similar to a Zuppa Toscana with the meat and vegetables combined in the soup!
Whatever the reason this soup is called Italian Wedding Soup, it's delicious and it is a whole meal and not just a side soup. People will definitely be asking for seconds of this delicious soup!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Meatballs. My mom likes to use ground pork and ground beef for her meatballs. My mother-in-law has always used just ground beef. I lean toward only ground beef even when I'm making Classic Italian Fried Meatballs, because I am usually only making a pound of meatballs. You can use the combination or just ground beef!
Pasta. Classic Italian Wedding Soup is made with acini de pepe, but it's not always easy to find. You can substitute orzo as I did, or use any pastina.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup
Step 1: Combine the ingredients for the meatballs and roll into small meatballs about the size of a quarter.
Step 2: Making the little meatballs can be a pain without a little scooper. I tend to make them a little bigger than what's typical. They should be about the size of a quarter.
Step 3: In the pot, add the olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs for about 30-45 seconds on each side. They will sear quickly because they're so small. Set them aside.
Step 4: Remove the oil from the pot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the carrots and saute for a few more minutes until the carrots are glistening. Then stir in the garlic for a minute until fragrant.
Step 5: Pour in the broth and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower to a simmer.
Step 6: Add the meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes.
Step 7: After 15 minutes, stir in the pasta. Simmer for 15 more minutes and then remove from the heat. Add the spinach and cover for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the spinach. Serve hot!
Top-Tips
- Searing vs. not searing the meatballs. Look, I know they're not usually seared. But the flavor you get from quickly searing them first is unmatched. I've made this dish so many times both ways. It is light years better with seared meatballs.
- Sauteing the vegetables. Let the onion soften before adding the carrots. Don't saute the carrots for too long. You want them to hold their shape in the soup! Add them to the onions right as the onions are about ready.
- Don't overwork your meatballs. The less you mix them, the softer their texture will be.
Storage and Reheating
Storage for soup is always important. If you plan on storing a lot of the soup, I suggest cooking the orzo separately and then adding it in as you eat so that the pasta doesn't soak up all of the soup when you store it away. When the pasta is bigger like the tortellini in Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage or Broccoli Rabe and Tortellini Soup you don't have to worry as much about the soup being soaked up.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days and in the freezer for 3 months. I used the containers called Soupercubes. I have worked with them in the past but this is not an ad. I truly love their product.
When reheating, if you already have pasta in the soup, I always add it to a pot with extra chicken broth and heat through over the stovetop.
Recipe FAQs
There's a lot of beef about what's actually in this soup, but basically, as long as it has meatballs, leafy greens, and some pastina, you can call it Italian wedding soup.
So many people think this soup isn't actually Italian. It is definitely Italian but it has nothing to do with a wedding. The word wedding was loosely translated from the Italian name minestra maritata which means "married" soup, referring to the marrying of inexpensive meat and leafy greens in the soup!
Some of Our Favorite Soups
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
📖 Recipe
Italian Wedding Soup
Equipment
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Soup
- 2 carrots, sliced into circles
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 qts chicken broth
- 1 bag baby spinach or escarole
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, to fry meatballs
- 1 cup orzo or acini de pepe
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for the meatballs and roll into small meatballs about the size of a quarter. In the pot, add the olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. sear the meatballs for about 30-45 seconds on each side. They will sear quickly because they're so small. Set them aside.
- Remove the oil from the pot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and saute for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the carrots and saute for 3 more minutes. Then stir in the garlic for a minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the broth and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower to a simmer. Add the meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, stir in the pasta. Simmer for 15 more minutes and then remove from the heat. Add the spinach and cover for 5 minutes. Then stir it in and serve hot!
Notes
- A lot of people don't like that the next day the pasta will have soaked up all the broth. My note is to add more broth if you're going to eat day two. The reason I add the pasta to the soup to cook is because of all the flavor that gets into the pasta and all the starch that transfers into the soup. It's the best way for flavor.
Ciara
One of my husband's favorite recipes! An easy weeknight dinner and it's a guaranteed winner. Thanks so much!
Art S
It tastes even better than it looks in your video, if that’s possible. Just follow the recipe as written and you will not believe the great flavors and textures you will experience in the end. I made the amount for serving 8, even though I am only one. It came out so good that I am being selfish and keeping it all for me. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Lauren Buffington
Absolutely love this recipe! Made it today. Thank you for sharing!
Becks
This was delicious! I boiled my pasta in broth first, then set it aside and used that broth for my soup. Added more broth as needed. Next time I will add more carrots since the spinach cooks down so much. 10/10 definitely recommend!
Romy
My husband and I loved it!
Angie
Soup was delicious. Even the kids who don't like spinach loved it! I also added beaten eggs (and celery because I had some left).
Melissa
Hi! Wondering why there’s no egg in the meatballs?
Vinny and Marisa
Egg is usually used as a binder. These meatballs are so small, they really don't need something to keep them topgether.
Stacy
What is the block you are adding to the soup in the video? Parmesan cheese?
Vinny and Marisa
It is a parmesan rind. I add parmesan rind to most of my soups and sauces if I have it. Just an extra addition for salt and flavor.
Milica
I'm makimg thw soup now, the meatballs are amazing on their own also 🙂 the only problem that I have is that we dont use cups in my country and when I try to convert to grams and ml its not always accurate xD it would be grate if there was a recipe with that metric also 🙂 i will tag you on instagram when it done 🙂
Vinny and Marisa
This is something I can work on!
Elsie
I add zucchini and a dollop of tomato paste , just to add more flavor.
kay
This soup was delicious! We used chicken for the meatballs instead of beef. This will definitely be added to our dinner rotation!
Sonatina
Followed recipe exactly as printed. Was DELICIOUS. Only one problem... there were no leftovers 🙂 This will become a staple recipe in my house.
Todd
Easy weeknight dinner. Would have been better with homemade stock or broth, instead of store bought
Vinny and Marisa
I love to cook with homemade stock. Unfortunately I cook so much that I often have to use store bought otherwise I'd have to have 3 chickens a week just to make enough stock for all these recipes!
Marcia M
I made this soup 3 times in 10 days. The last time I doubled the recipe. I cannot get enough of it. Great recipe. By the way I don’t use garlic in soups and I don’t use bay leaf at all.
margaret
Dumb question, but you throw in the pasta uncooked? It will cook in the soup?
Vinny and Marisa
That's how I do it. The pasta will take on the flavor of the soup. A lot of people prefer to cook the pasta first and then add it in.
Jennyfer
I dont see when do i put in the spinach
Vinny and Marisa
After the soup is finished, add the spinach, cover for 5 minutes, and then stir it in.
Lily
How do you get the pasta to not soak everything up? My soup didnt come out very soupy
Vinny and Marisa
By serving immediately. If the pasta sits in the soup for a bit, it will soak it up. This is a starchy soup though, so it shouldn't be too thin. A lot of folks like to cook the pasta separate. I prefer the pasta to soak up some of the broth and flavor.
Joni Pearl
Hi, I’m a grandmother and want to make this soup. I keep my recipes on Pinterest. But this recipe isn’t on Pinterest. Help. I’m afraid I’ll lose it. Can you please post it on Pinterest? Thanks. Looks delicious. I’m looking for new things to cook for the winter. Thank you.
Vinny and Marisa
It has now been posted there for you!
Nora
Thank you for sharing. Would quinoa work in place of the pasta you listed?
Vinny and Marisa
Hmm, I don't believe it would be the "best" substitution. But it could work. I'd probably prefer to use farro if I was going to use a different grain.
Elvira mcnulty
What name of chicken broth do I use there is slit out there
Vinny and Marisa
I use The Kirkland brand or the Trader Joe's brand for the most part, when I don't have any homemade stock in the freezer. I find them to work well.
Deborah A Stiles
Your recipe looks wonderful. I can't wait to try it 😋. I do have one comment though about the pasta soaking up the broth. I like to cook my pasta separately in chicken broth and add it to the bowl as I serve. This way, the pasta still has flavor, but the soup isn't all absorbed. Also, I prefer it because I'm trying to reduce my carbs, and this is a good way to do it.
Fab
In the video I see you put in a Parmesan cheese rind. Do you remove it at any point, or does it melt in? Thanks!
Vinny and Marisa
I remove it at the end. And it is just a parmesan rind, not the parmesan.