Description
Italian Wedding Soup is a hearty, comforting classic featuring tender meatballs, leafy greens, and pearl-like pasta in a flavorful chicken broth. It’s the perfect blend of savory richness and vegetable freshness—ideal for cozy dinners or prepping ahead for weekday lunches. This version brings bold flavor and wholesome ingredients together in one pot for a simple yet satisfying meal.
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
8 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup acini di pepe pasta
4 cups chopped escarole or spinach
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
Additional Parmesan for serving
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined. Form into small 3/4-inch meatballs.
2. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Brown meatballs in batches until golden on all sides. Set aside.
3. In the same pot, sauté onion, carrot, and celery for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
4. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, return meatballs to pot, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
5. Stir in acini di pepe and cook 8-10 minutes until pasta is tender. Add chopped greens in the last few minutes to wilt.
6. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning if desired. Serve hot with Parmesan on top.
Notes
Form meatballs evenly to ensure consistent cooking; a small cookie scoop works great.
For best texture, cook pasta separately if planning to freeze the soup.
Escarole is traditional, but spinach or kale work well depending on what’s on hand.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 75mg