Italian Wedding Soup with Tender Meatballs
Italian Wedding Soup: a heartwarming melody of tender meatballs and delicate greens, bridging the union of flavors that make a comforting classic. It's not a wedding soup for nuptials but for the beautiful marriage of ingredients that create such harmonious taste.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Large pot or Dutch oven (6-quart / 5.7L minimum)
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Ladle
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 8.8 oz ground beef preferably grass-fed, about 250g
- 8.8 oz ground pork organic if available, about 250g
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs 60g
- ⅓ cup whole milk 80ml, for soaking breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated, 25g
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 large egg
The Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 medium carrots diced, about 150g
- 3 stalks celery diced, about 150g
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped, about 150g
- 8 cups chicken broth low-sodium preferred, 1.9L
- 1 cup small pasta such as acini di pepe, ditalini, or orzo, uncooked, 170g
- 2 cups baby spinach fresh and packed, 60g
- 1 pinch salt to taste, for finishing
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper to taste, for finishing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, soak the fresh breadcrumbs in the milk until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and the egg. Mix gently until ingredients are just combined. Roll the mixture into small meatballs, roughly 1 inch (2.5cm) in diameter — you should get about 28–30 meatballs. Set aside on a plate or tray.8.8 oz ground beef, 8.8 oz ground pork, 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup whole milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 large egg
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onions. Sauté until onions become translucent and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 medium carrots, 3 stalks celery, 1 medium yellow onion
- Pour in the chicken broth, stir, and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to develop the flavors.8 cups chicken broth
- Gently add the meatballs one by one into the simmering broth. Cook the meatballs for 10 minutes until cooked through — they should reach an internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C. Add the pasta and simmer for 8–10 minutes more, or until the pasta is al dente. Check pasta packaging for exact timing.1 cup small pasta
- Stir the fresh spinach into the soup during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.2 cups baby spinach, 1 pinch salt
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb broth overnight — add a splash of chicken broth or water when reheating.
Freezing: Freeze the meatball-and-broth base (without pasta) for up to 2 months. Cook fresh pasta directly in the reheated soup.
Make-Ahead: Roll the meatballs up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate on a covered plate — cold meatballs hold their shape better when dropped into hot broth.
Substitution: Swap baby spinach for baby kale for a heartier green, or use gluten-free breadcrumbs and pasta for a gluten-free version.
Pro Tip: Mix the meatball ingredients gently and only until just combined — overworking the meat makes the meatballs dense and rubbery.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 802kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 45gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 144mgSodium: 1177mgPotassium: 1096mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 6666IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 210mgIron: 6mg
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