Italian wedding soup is mini beef and pork meatballs browned in a skillet, then simmered in chicken broth with carrots, celery, onion, acini di pepe pasta and spinach, ready in 50 minutes. That makes this Italian wedding soup recipe a one-pot dinner that serves 6 and reheats all week.
Browning the meatballs in a skillet before they go into the broth is the step most recipes skip, and it is the single biggest difference in flavour. Simmering raw meatballs straight in broth cooks them through but gives you grey, soft balls with no crust. Four minutes of browning on two or three sides builds a layer of flavour that carries through the whole pot.
The breadcrumbs are made from fresh bread, not the dried kind from a canister. Dried breadcrumbs have been sitting on a shelf for months and contain additives that change the texture of the meatball. A slice of rustic bread blitzed in a food processor takes 30 seconds and gives you a softer, more tender meatball that holds together without turning dense.
Italian Wedding Soup
Course: Soups, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings25
minutes25
minutes396
kcalHerbed mini meatballs made from beef and pork with fresh breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano and parmesan, browned in a skillet, then simmered in chicken broth with carrots, celery, onion, acini di pepe and wilted spinach. About 12 cups total.
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
8 oz lean ground beef
8 oz ground pork
1/2 cup fresh white bread crumbs (from fresh bread, not dried)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)
1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan
1 large egg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
- For the soup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 cups chopped carrots
1 1/4 cups chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry acini di pepe or orzo pasta
6 oz fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
Finely shredded parmesan, for serving
Directions
- Make the meatball mixture:Add the beef and pork to a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, parmesan, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Gently toss and break up with your hands until evenly distributed. Shape into very small meatballs, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch.
- Brown in batches:Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs and cook for about 4 minutes, turning occasionally to brown on 2 or 3 sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. They will not be cooked through at this point.
- Sauté the vegetables:While the meatballs brown, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion and celery and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Simmer the soup:Pour in the chicken broth, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Stir in the pasta and browned meatballs, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Finish and serve:Add the spinach during the last minute of cooking. Serve warm with shredded parmesan over each bowl.
FAQs
Why do you brown the meatballs first instead of just simmering them?
Browning builds a caramelised crust that adds depth to the whole pot. Meatballs dropped raw into broth cook through but stay soft and grey, with none of that roasted flavour. It takes an extra 8 minutes across two batches and the difference is immediately obvious in the first spoonful.
What pasta works if you cannot find acini di pepe?
Orzo is the closest substitute in size and cook time. Ditalini, pastina stars and small elbow macaroni all work too. Stick with something tiny, because large pasta changes the ratio of broth to noodle in each spoonful and throws the balance off.
Can you use different greens instead of spinach?
Kale, endive and escarole are all traditional in Italian wedding soup and work fine here. Add them with the pasta rather than at the end, because they need the full 10-minute simmer to soften. Spinach wilts in under a minute, which is why it goes in last.
Why does the soup get thick after sitting?
The pasta absorbs broth even after the heat is off, same issue as every soup with pasta in it. Add a splash of broth when you reheat to bring the consistency back. If you know you will have a lot of leftovers, reduce the pasta to 3/4 cup so the stored soup stays looser.
How do you store and freeze Italian wedding soup?
It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container and freezes for up to 3 months. The pasta will be softer after thawing, so for the best freezer results, undercook the pasta slightly or freeze the soup without it and cook fresh pasta when you reheat.
