My Italian Wedding Soup combines browned mini meatballs, orzo, and spinach in a savory broth. Frying the meatballs first and simmering the soup with a Parmesan rind builds extra flavor, making this one of our family's favorite soups. It's become a favorite online, too, with over 20 million views across platforms!
When I first shared this recipe, people gave me a LOT of feedback, good and bad. When I really looked through it, what I found was that a lot of people made Italian wedding soup just like me!
But a lot of people felt it wasn't an Italian dish... which it isn't. It's an Italian-American dish which tends to be very different than something that's classically Italian.
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 You'll Love This Recipe
- Extra flavor from browned meatballs. Frying the meatballs creates browned bits on the bottom of the pot that add savory flavor to the broth.
- Easy ingredient swaps. Use orzo or acini di pepe, and choose spinach or escarole depending on what you have available.
- A flavorful broth with simple ingredients. A Parmesan rind adds depth, while seasoning the meatballs and soup separately builds flavor throughout.
- A complete family meal in about an hour. With meatballs, pasta, and vegetables in every bowl, this soup is hearty enough for dinner.
Why Is It Called Italian Wedding Soup?
The name comes from minestra maritata, meaning "married soup," and refers to the way the meat and greens come together. My version is the Italian-American wedding soup many of us know and love, with little meatballs, pasta, and leafy greens in a savory broth.
It's similar to a Zuppa Toscana with the meat and vegetables combined in the 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. Substitute our Italian-Style Chicken Meatballs if you prefer chicken.
- Pasta. I use Orzo in my Italian Wedding Soup. I love orzo because it doesn't just immediately suck up all of the liquid. You can substitute pastina or acini di pepe.
- Parmigiano Rind. I like to add a Parmigiano rind to my soup. It's an additional salty flavor that will help with the depth of flavor in the soup.
- Vegetables. Italian wedding soup is classically a melding of meats and greens. For our vegetables, we use carrots, celery, and onion.
- Leafy green. I use spinach or escarole. Escarole is more classically Italian.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients
Watch Me Make It!
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup
Step 1: Combine ground beef, egg, Parmigiano, parsley, breadcrumbs, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper for the meatballs.
Step 2: Roll the mixture into quarter-sized meatballs. Making the little meatballs can be a pain without a little scooper. If you have one, you can make them all the same size.
Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs for about 30-45 seconds on each side. They will sear quickly because they're so small. Transfer to a plate. They will finish cooking in the soup.
Step 4: Reduce the heat to medium and drain the oil, leaving behind 1 tbsp. Stir in the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Testing Tip: I've tested this recipe over 15 times with and without searing the meatballs. Searing is by far better than traditional boiling of the meatballs because it adds flavor directly to the pot.
Step 5: Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a Parmigiano rind. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower to a gentle simmer.
Step 6: Add the meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes. Then stir in the pasta and simmer for an additional 10 minutes until the pasta is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking
Step 7: Remove from the heat. Add the spinach and cover for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the spinach.
Finish and serve. Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan.
Pro-Tips
- Brown the meatballs for extra flavor. I prefer a quick sear before simmering them. It renders some of the fat from the beef and creates browned bits on the bottom of the pot that add savory flavor to the broth. Work in batches, drain off excess fat, and leave those browned bits behind. You're browning the outside-the meatballs finish cooking in the soup.
- Mix gently and roll lightly. Combine the meatball ingredients just until evenly mixed, and avoid packing the meatballs tightly when rolling. This helps keep their texture tender.
- Simmer with a Parmesan rind. Add it with the bay leaves for extra savory, nutty flavor. Taste before adding more salt, especially if your stock is already salted, and remove the rind before serving.
- Cooking pasta in the soup. I choose to cook pasta in the soup because it absorbs the flavor of the soup and adds a little bit of starch to the soup that gives it a nice glossy texture.
- Plan ahead for leftovers. Orzo keeps absorbing broth as the soup sits. If you're making a batch for later, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls. Otherwise, keep extra chicken stock handy to loosen the soup when reheating.
Storage and Reheating
Planning for leftovers: Cook the orzo separately and add it to individual bowls before serving. This keeps the pasta from absorbing the broth and becoming overly soft during storage.
Refrigerating: Store for 3-4 days. Keep separately cooked pasta (if you did this) in its own container.
Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and cook fresh pasta when ready to serve.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until the soup reaches a rolling boil. If the pasta was stored in the soup, add chicken stock as needed to restore the broth's consistency.
FAQs on Italian Wedding Soup
There's a lot of debate 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!
No, not really. The meatballs are so small that you will dry them out by trying to bake them. While Should you Bake or Fry Meatballs is a perfectly normal question when it comes to larger meatballs, you're better off just cooking the meatballs in the soup if you don't want to fry.
When making meatballs for Italian wedding soup, you may have to adjust your milk and breadcrumbs amounts. If the meatball mixture is feeling a bit dry add 2 more tablespoon of milk. If it feels too wet and sticky, add 2 tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
Favorite Italian-American Classics
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.
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Italian Wedding Soup
Equipment
- 1 large pot
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, to fry meatballs
Soup
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2.5 qts chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups baby spinach or escarole
- 1 cup orzo
- 1 Parmigiano rind optional
Instructions
- Combine ground beef, egg, Parmigiano, parsley, breadcrumbs, milk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper for the meatballs.
- Roll the mixture into quarter-sized meatballs. Making the little meatballs can be a pain without a little scooper. If you have one, you can make them all the same size.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs for about 30-45 seconds on each side. They will sear quickly because they're so small. Transfer to a plate. They will finish cooking in the soup.
- Reduce the heat to medium and drain the oil, leaving behind 1 tbsp. Stir in the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a Parmigiano rind. Bring to a boil and then immediately lower to a gentle simmer.
- Add the meatballs and simmer for 15 minutes. Then stir in the pasta and simmer for an additional 10 minutes until the pasta is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking
- Remove from the heat. Add the spinach and cover for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in the spinach.
- Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan.
Video
Pro-Tips
- Brown the meatballs for extra flavor. I prefer a quick sear before simmering them. It renders some of the fat from the beef and creates browned bits on the bottom of the pot that add savory flavor to the broth. Work in batches, drain off excess fat, and leave those browned bits behind. You're browning the outside-the meatballs finish cooking in the soup.
- Mix gently and roll lightly. Combine the meatball ingredients just until evenly mixed, and avoid packing the meatballs tightly when rolling. This helps keep their texture tender.
- Simmer with a Parmesan rind. Add it with the bay leaves for extra savory, nutty flavor. Taste before adding more salt, especially if your stock is already salted, and remove the rind before serving.
- Cooking pasta in the soup. I choose to cook pasta in the soup because it absorbs the flavor of the soup and adds a little bit of starch to the soup that gives it a nice glossy texture.
- Plan ahead for leftovers. Orzo keeps absorbing broth as the soup sits. If you're making a batch for later, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls. Otherwise, keep extra chicken stock handy to loosen the soup when reheating.
Ciara says
One of my husband's favorite recipes! An easy weeknight dinner and it's a guaranteed winner. Thanks so much!
Art S says
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 says
Absolutely love this recipe! Made it today. Thank you for sharing!
Becks says
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 says
My husband and I loved it!
Angie says
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 says
Hi! Wondering why there’s no egg in the meatballs?
Vinny and Marisa says
Egg is usually used as a binder. These meatballs are so small, they really don't need something to keep them topgether.
Stacy says
What is the block you are adding to the soup in the video? Parmesan cheese?
Vinny and Marisa says
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 says
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 says
This is something I can work on!
Elsie says
I add zucchini and a dollop of tomato paste , just to add more flavor.
kay says
This soup was delicious! We used chicken for the meatballs instead of beef. This will definitely be added to our dinner rotation!
Sonatina says
Followed recipe exactly as printed. Was DELICIOUS. Only one problem... there were no leftovers 🙂 This will become a staple recipe in my house.
Todd says
Easy weeknight dinner. Would have been better with homemade stock or broth, instead of store bought
Vinny and Marisa says
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 says
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 says
Dumb question, but you throw in the pasta uncooked? It will cook in the soup?
Vinny and Marisa says
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 says
I dont see when do i put in the spinach
Vinny and Marisa says
After the soup is finished, add the spinach, cover for 5 minutes, and then stir it in.
Lily says
How do you get the pasta to not soak everything up? My soup didnt come out very soupy
Vinny and Marisa says
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 says
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 says
It has now been posted there for you!
Nora says
Thank you for sharing. Would quinoa work in place of the pasta you listed?
Vinny and Marisa says
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 says
What name of chicken broth do I use there is slit out there
Vinny and Marisa says
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 says
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 says
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 says
I remove it at the end. And it is just a parmesan rind, not the parmesan.