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Katie's Cucina » Recipes » Italian

Italian Wedding Soup

Published: Apr 11, 2023 by Katie · This post may contain affiliate links

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Black ladle holding soup over a pot divided by recipe title text on image for Pinterest with a bowl of soup underneath it.
White pot filled with soup and meatballs divided by recipe title text on image for Pinterest with a white bowl of soup below it.
White bowl filled with meatballs, veggies, and noodles with recipe title text on image for Pinterest.
White pot filled with soup with recipe title text on image for Pinterest.
White bowl filled with italian meatball soup with logo on the right corner.
White bowl filled with meatballs, veggies, and noodles with recipe title text on image for Pinterest.

Italian wedding soup is a classic comfort food that combines savory meatballs, vegetables, and tiny round pasta in a flavorful chicken broth. This entire soup comes together in about 35 minutes time thanks to the help of pre-made meatballs.

Bowl of meatball and pasta soup on a striped cloth with bread and a big pot of soup on the far left.

Italian wedding soup is one of my all time favorite soups. This soup made with meatballs, vegetables, and tiny pearled pasta that is all cooked in a chicken broth.

I take the time once a month to make a batch of my beef and pork meatballs. I’ll use half the recipe to put in my soup and freeze the other half so I can whip up this soup in the time instructed below. Everyone in my home devours this soup. It typically is completely gone within two days of making it (sometimes on the first day).

I’ve been making this soup for almost 2 decades now. In this blog post you are going to learn how to make Italian Wedding soup in under an hour thanks to my helpful tips and tricks.

Jump to:
  • Why this recipe works
  • Wedding Soup Ingredients
  • How to Make Italian Wedding Soup
  • FAQs
  • Recipe Tips and Tricks
  • What to serve with Soup
  • Italian Wedding Soup

Why this recipe works

Pre-made or frozen meatballs makes this wedding soup come together quickly.

Store bought shredded carrots save time not only in the prep department but also during the cooking process.

Wedding soup makes for a delicious lunch, hearty dinner, or even an appetizer before your big meal.

Wedding Soup Ingredients

Ingredients on counter: broth, onion, carrots, pastina, garlic, spices, celery, meatballs, and spinach.

Here are the ingredients you need to make the best Italian wedding soup recipe.

  • Meatballs – You can make homemade meatballs or use store bought.
  • Broth – Although the recipe calls for a beef/pork meatball I prefer to use chicken broth as the base. This is the traditional way of making Italian Wedding Soup.
  • Vegetables – Shredded carrot, celery, onion, spinach, and garlic.
  • Pasta – I like to use traditional Acini di pepe, they are tiny little round pieces of pasta.
  • Seasoning – I use a mix of Italian seasoning and black pepper for this soup recipe.

How to Make Italian Wedding Soup

Green pot filled with shredded carrots, diced celery, and diced onions on a black stove top.
White pot filled with shredded carrots, diced onions, and diced celery.

First, in a large stock pot, on medium heat melt the butter and extra virgin olive oil. Add in the chopped carrot and onion and sauté for 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Then add in one cup chicken broth, garlic and Italian Seasoning. Cook with the lid on for 10 minutes, stirring often

Green pot on stovetop boiling broth.

Increase the heat to high, add in the remaining chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Once at a boil add the acini de pepe pasta and meatballs. Lower to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes until pasta is almost cooked.

Green pot filled with broth, and chopped spinach.

Once the pasta is almost done cooking add in the chopped spinach and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

Black ladle holding meatballs, pasta, and veggies over a pot of soup.

Remove the soup from the heat and ladle into bowls. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy.

FAQs

White bowl filled with pastina, shredded carrots, and meatballs on a plaid cloth napkin.
Can I use turkey instead of beef for the meatballs?

Yes, you can use ground turkey instead of ground beef/pork for the meatballs. Just know the taste might vary using a leaner type of meat.

Can I freeze Italian wedding soup?

Yes, you can freeze Italian wedding soup. Just make sure to let the soup cool completely before placing it in an airtight container. Also, know that the pasta will absorb all of the broth when it freezes. I suggest if you know you are going to freeze this soup to cook the pasta separately so that you just freeze the broth, vegetables, and meatballs.

Can I use a different type of pasta in the soup?

If you don’t happen to have Acini di pepe you can use any type of small pasta such as orzo, small shells, or even ditalini.

How long will Italian wedding soup last in the refrigerator?

Italian wedding soup will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. If you have leftovers by day 4 and don’t feel in the mood to eat it you can always freeze it for a later date.

Why is it called Wedding Soup?

The name “wedding soup” is believed to have originated from the Italian phrase “minestra maritata,” which means “married soup.” The name is thought to have been given because the ingredients in the soup “marry” together so well.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Pot of soup filled with shredded carrots, spinach, meatballs.

Italian wedding soup is a classic dish that is perfect for any occasion. This delicious soup is packed with flavor, nutrition, and is easy to prepare. Here are some tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions to help you make the best Italian wedding soup.

  • Pasta – If you don’t happen to have Acini di pepe (the small pearled pasta) on hand you can use pearled couscous, orzo pasta, or even ditalini.
  • Meat – Use high-quality meat for the meatballs. The better the quality, the better the taste.
  • Meatballs – To save time, you can use frozen meatballs instead of making your own.
  • Broth – If you don’t have chicken broth on hand, you can use vegetable broth instead.

What to serve with Soup

White bowl filled with meatball soup with green pot in background with a cutting board with a loaf of bread.

Here are a few side dishes and main dishes I like to make alongside Italian wedding soup.

  • Slices of tomato, mozzarella and basil with balsamic drizzled on top.
    Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze
  • Two loaves of garlic cheese bread with one cut into 4 pieces resting on a wood cutting board.
    Garlic Cheese Bread
  • Baked Shrimp Parmesan Pasta #SimmeredInTradition #Ragu #Ad
    Baked Shrimp Parmesan with Pasta
  • Blue bowl filled with tomatoes, red onions, and herbs.
    Tomato and Onion Salad

If you make this Italian Wedding Soup recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a ⭐ star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!

Don’t forget to FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, and subscribe to my email list!

White bowl filled with meatball and pastaq soup with spoon in it.

Italian Wedding Soup

Italian wedding soup is a classic comfort food that combines savory meatballs, vegetables, and tiny round pasta in a flavorful chicken broth. This entire soup comes together in about 35 minutes time thanks to the help of premade meatballs.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Italian
Diet: Low Salt
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 347kcal
Author: Katie

Equipment

  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Knife
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Measuring Cups

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oi
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 white onion diced
  • 1 celery rib diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 64 ounces Chicken Broth
  • 24 mini meatballs
  • 1 cup acini de pepe (pasta)
  • 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

  • In a large stock pot, on medium heat melt the butter and extra virgin olive oil. Add in the chopped carrot and onion and sauté for 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Then add in one cup chicken broth, garlic and Italian Seasoning. Cook with the lid on for 10 minutes, stirring often
  • Increase the heat to high, add in the remaining chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Once at a boil add the acini de pepe pasta and meatballs. Lower to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes until pasta is almost cooked.
  • Add in the chopped spinach and salt and pepper to taste. Remove the soup from the heat and ladle into bowls. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy.

Notes

  • Pasta – If you don’t happen to have Acini di pepe (the small pearled pasta) on hand you can use pearled couscous, orzo pasta, or even ditalini.
  • Meat – Use high-quality meat for the meatballs. The better the quality, the better the taste.
  • Meatballs – To save time, you can use frozen meatballs instead of making your own.
  • Broth – If you don’t have chicken broth on hand, you can use vegetable broth instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 614mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4104IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @KatieJasiewicz or tag #katiescucina!
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About Katie

Katie is a busy mom of 2 children who loves to feed her family delicious meals that don't take hours to cook! She started her blog 10 years ago as a way to help others get cooking in the kitchen.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Doris Gordon

    October 20, 2020 at 12:00 am

    recipes are fine. But the yellow portion on top of the recipe does not print clearly, such as cook time, servings etc. You have to fill those items in with pen on the recipe so it is clear. I suggest do not print in yellow.

    Thank You.

    Reply
    • Katie

      October 20, 2020 at 11:50 am

      Hi Doris, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! I’ve never printed out my recipe, so I would have never known that. I just sent on your comment to my designer so that we can get this fixed for future readers to print!

  2. April

    October 02, 2015 at 10:43 am

    that sounds fantastic!

    Reply
    • Katie

      October 06, 2015 at 9:16 am

      I just made another big pot yesterday and sadly it’s already almost gone… 🙁

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I'm Katie Jasiewicz: home cook, food blogger, and recipe developer. A busy mom of two children who loves to feed her family delicious meals that don’t take hours to cook! My mission is to create easy-to-make modern comfort food for the busy family. (more)

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