Italian Wedding Soup
Get ready to experience the ultimate comfort soup that’s impressed Italian grandmothers for generations! This hearty combination of tender meatballs, delicate pasta, and fresh vegetables in a rich broth is the kind of recipe that makes everyone at the table fall silent with that first magical spoonful.
What makes this soup truly special is the perfect balance of flavors and textures – from the light, pillowy meatballs seasoned with Parmesan to the tiny pasta pearls that soak up all that wonderful broth. The fresh spinach adds both color and nutrition, making this a complete meal in a bowl that’s both elegant and satisfying.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1/2 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
For the Soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2 sticks celery, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, peeled & chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup uncooked acini de pepe pasta or orzo
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach
Steps
- In a large prep bowl, combine 1/2 cup breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup milk. Mash with a fork until completely smooth. Add remaining meatball ingredients and mix gently with hands until just combined – overmixing will make tough meatballs. Form into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each, yielding 40-45 meatballs).
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches, sear meatballs for 5 minutes per batch until deeply browned on all sides. They’ll finish cooking in the soup.
- In the same pot, add onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 7-8 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in 8 cups chicken broth and add Italian seasoning and meatballs. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add pasta and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking.
- Stir in spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with additional freshly grated Parmesan.
