If you’re looking for an easy and hearty meal that comes together in ONE pot, in just 30 minutes (aka helllllooooo busy weeknight!), look no further than this classic Italian wedding soup! You can make homemade meatballs or take a little help from the store and use frozen meatballs – either way tastes great!
Searching for other quick weeknight meals? You’ll love my award-winning sloppy joe recipe, one pot chicken parmesan pasta, or tomato basil soup with pesto (ready in just 15 minutes!).
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
Even this time of year, soup is a go-to meal for us. On a chilly night, there’s nothing better than wrapping both hands around a warm, steaming bowl of soup!
Normally we go for a hearty minestrone or loaded potato soup, but lately I’ve been getting requests for a classic Italian Wedding soup, mainly from my husband.
Add some crusty no-knead bread (seriously so easy and fun to make), and a nice caesar salad and you’ve got a well-rounded meal that’s ready in no time!
Why is it Called Italian Wedding Soup?
Ever wonder how it gets its name? I always thought maybe it was a traditional meal served at Italian weddings, but in actuality, it has nothing to do with a real wedding. The name actually comes from the way the flavors combine, like a happy marriage!
Use the right pasta
Traditionally, acini di pepe pasta is used, which looks like little pearls. If you can’t find that pasta, ditalini or orzo pasta could be used.
My local grocery store had the acini di pepe pasta right in the dried pasta aisle, or you can also find it online.
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup
Italian wedding soup really is such an easy soup to make. The part that takes the most time is making the meatballs. You can use any combination of ground meat you like.
My favorite combination is either pork and beef or all chicken. I like to brown the meatballs in the soup pot before cooking the soup; add tons of extra flavor!
- Prep meatballs and brown.
- Cook onions, carrots, and celery until soft. Add herbs and seasonings.
- Stir in broth and pasta and cook until pasta is tender.
- Add spinach and serve.
Ways to save even more time making Italian Wedding Soup
Even though this recipe is quick-cooking, sometimes we need a little extra time. Here are my top tips for prepping this soup ahead.
- Pre-make the meatballs. Assemble them and line them on a wax-paper lined airtight container and refrigerate a day ahead of time.
- Make a double batch of meatballs. I know that doesn’t seem like a time-saver, BUT, you can freeze the other half, and then the next time you’re ready to make this soup recipe, you’ve already got the meatballs handled!
- Chop the vegetables ahead of time. Keep them in zip-top baggies in the refrigerator a day ahead of time.
- Chop the spinach. Keep it in a zip-top baggie in the refrigerator with a dry paper towel to absorb any moisture.
- Use frozen meatballs! I love the flavor of homemade, but some days I just can’t with the extra work. Frozen meatballs work beautifully in this soup, just make sure you use the small variety.
FREEZE ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP FOR ANOTHER NIGHT
There’s nothing better than coming home and realizing dinner is practically done already! Freezing soup is usually pretty straightforward, but for the best results, I like to freeze the soup before adding the pasta.
Then when you’re reheating the soup, go ahead and add the pasta.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
- Use quality ingredients. Since this soup has relatively few ingredients (meatballs aside), you want them all to shine!
- Don’t worry if the meatballs aren’t cooked through after browning them. They’ll finish cooking when you add them back to the soup later.
- Wine is recommended, but if you really prefer not to use alcohol, you can omit it.
- Don’t forget the sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese before serving, it really takes this soup over the top!
SHOP THE RECIPE:
- Dutch Oven – Enameled cast iron is my favorite vessel to cook soup in! LeCreuset is my favorite brand, but they’re pricey, so this Lodge is a good alternative!
- Acini di pepe – definitely cheaper in the grocery store, but in case you can’t find it, this is a good alternative.
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Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 8 oz ground beef
- 8 oz ground pork
- 1/2 cup plain or Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
SOUP
- 3 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (chardonnay is my favorite)
- 9 - 10 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or bone broth
- 1 cup dried, uncooked acini di pepe pasta
- 5 oz chopped baby spinach
- shredded Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
MEATBALLS
- Add all meatball ingredients except olive oil to a large mixing bowl. Gently mix until fully combined. Shape into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
SOUP
- Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add about half the meatballs and cook about 3 minutes per side, turning to brown all over. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining meatballs.
- Add remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil to the same dutch oven and reduce heat to medium low. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook 5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Season with salt, pepper, and dill.
- Add wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Add pasta and meatballs to the pot and cook 8-10 minutes, until pasta is tender and meatballs are cooked through. During the last minute of cooking, add spinach and let it wilt.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with shredded Parmesan cheese.
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Chef Tips
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
- Assemble meatballs, then brown as directed in step 2. Add to slow cooker insert.
- Pour in wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Pour wine mixture into slow cooker insert, then add all remaining ingredients (except spinach, pasta and Parmesan cheese).
- Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours.
- Add spinach and pasta, cover, increase heat to HIGH and continue cooking another 10 minutes, or until spinach has wilted and pasta is tender.
- Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS
- Assemble meatballs, then press the saute button.
- Brown meatballs as directed in step 2.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Deglaze with white wine and stir to remove any brown bits. Press Cancel button.
- Stir in seasonings, add in broth, pasta and meatballs.
- Secure the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
- Do a quick release, releasing the pressure in short bursts to avoid food particles from spewing out with the steam.
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Remove the lid and stir in spinach.
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In 'Saute' mode, cook for another 2 minutes, or until heated through and spinach has wilted.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Recipe originally posted on Spend with Pennies, where I contribute recipes monthly.
Julie says
I tried this yesterday. I think it’s the best soup I’ve ever had! It was so easy to make and so very tasty. Leftovers for lunch today were good too. I always make homemade meatballs and have them in the freezer ready for recipes such as this.
Thank you for the great recipe!
Margaret Kysil says
I have made Italian Wedding soup for yrs…..I make my meatballs any kind…for soup, spaghetti etc…..I roll them, and put on cookie sheets…bake @ 325 ..for about 20 min…..ovens & size of meatballs vary…so accordingly…..blot with paper towels….no grease in your soup…no messing with them/turning over….they freeze well…..& cleanup is a breeze…..Enjoy !!
Linda Maslanka says
I made this soup and it was delicious! It was definitely a hit at my house, and I have recommended it to several of my friends. Thanks a bunch for the recipe.
Terressa says
Loved it!
Jason says
Wonderful, thank you! I used leeks in place of the onion, and kale in place of spinach. Otherwise I did it according to the recipe, with homemade meatballs. The seasoning combination was perfect for our family.
Regina says
Made this last night and took a short cut using frozen mini meatballs. It was very tasty and I’m sure with homemade meatballs it would be even better. Amanda’s recipes do not disappoint–I’m working my way right down the list!
Gwen says
I didn’t have spinach so I added romaine lettuce and a zucchini. The white wine and dill really stood out in comparison to other Italian Wedding Soup recipes I’ve had. I can’t have it without that now!
Jamie says
Delicious!! I thought the better than bouillon was a little strong for our taste so I’m making again today & cutting that in 1/2. I also agree with another comment, mine came out thick as well so I added an extra cup of broth.
Janinky says
Fantastic soup! Easy to make! Followed the recipe exactly and this soup is comforting, flavorful and freezes great!
Joy says
Great recipe and make ahead success tips. Combine ground beef and lamb for really amazing, rich meatball flavour.
Kate says
I am really lazy about making meatballs but these were REALLY delicious. Loved the meatballs alone, and also loved the soup!
Tammy says
This looks fabulous! 2 quick questions for you…..if you use the frozen mealtballs do you just throw them in the crockpot or do you cook them first? And what can you substitute for the wine?
Thanks so much!
Laura says
Super delicious! Only issue I ran into was my meatballs stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven. So I browned half for the flavor and put the other half in to cook by boiling. Worked out fine. Would love to know the secret to keeping your meatballs in tact while browning. Maybe put them in the fridge to get super cold first?
chrissy says
Cook the meatballs in HOT oil/butter. Wait for them to almost release from the pan by themselves. Scraping them and turning before they are ready causes them to crumble. If you want to take extra time, bake them instead. Also, do not crowd the meatballs in the pan. If you do, they will “steam” instead of fry. Takes extra time, but well worth the effort.
Krista says
I do love a good soup to warm up with on a chilly day!
Melanie Bauer says
This look beyond delicious! Love this specially when we need something quick and easy meal, need to make this soon!
Amy says
This soup looks so good! My family will love it!
Catalina says
This soup looks so inviting! I’ve tried once italian wedding soup and I loved it!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
Oh YUM!! My favorite soup! It so hearty and incredibly delicious!!
Beth Pierce says
Wow! Great recipe for a cold night, indeed! Looks better than any restaurant version I’ve seen too; yum!
Sara Welch says
I recently made this for my family but with some slightly different variations; I like your recipe-looks delicious!