Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
Published September 9, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This super tasty Italian wedding soup recipe is loaded with meatballs, veggies, escarole, and pasta simmered in delicious chicken stock. You won’t believe how delicious and comforting this soup is.
It’s that time of year when soup is the main entrée. Like in my Scotch Broth Soup or my Minestrone, it’s comforting, hearty, and perfect for those cold wintery days.
Italian Wedding Soup
Italian wedding soup is an Italian American dish adapted and popularized by Italians who immigrated to America. It consists of meatballs in a broth-based soup with vegetables, pasta, and greens.
It originally stems from the Italian word minestra mariata, meaning “wedded broths.” Italian Americans adapted it to wedding soup. However, it’s more about marrying flavors in a broth instead of serving them at weddings in Italy, which it is not.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef – You can use 80/20, 85/15, 90/10, or 96/4 ground beef.
- Pork — Freshly ground or pre-packaged ground pork is needed. You can also finely mince a pork shoulder or cut it into medium-sized chunks and process it in a food processor or meat grinder.
- Onion — You can use white, yellow, or sweet onions in the meatballs and soup.
- Herbs – Flat leaf or curly parsley can be used in the meatballs and soup. In addition, you can also add 2 tablespoons of minced fresh rosemary and/or 3 tablespoons of minced fresh basil.
- Cheese — Finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano can be used in the meatballs. I also like to use it as a garnish at the end.
- Bread — Italian bread helps keep the meatballs moist and tender. Honestly, you can use any whole loaf of white bread.
- Eggs – Large eggs that are chilled or at room temperature will work for binding.
- Vegetables — I used carrots and celery in the soup. To make it heartier, feel free to add other root vegetables like rutabaga or parsnips.
- Stock – Chicken stock or brodo should be used.
- Greens – Escarole is the traditional green to use. However, baby spinach or kale will also work.
- Pasta – Acini di pepe is the standard pasta for wedding soup, but pearl cous cous can also be used.
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup
- Add ground beef, pork, small diced yellow onions, finely minced garlic, parsley, grated parmesan cheese, eggs, water-soaked and squeezed-out Italian bread, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.
- Mix with your hands until combined and form into small ping-pong-sized balls.
- Place on a sheet tray and bake until browned and cooked through. You can also pan roast in some oil and cook through, finish in an oven, or simmer in the soup broth at the end. Set them aside until it’s time to serve the soup.
- Add the mirepoix to a large pot with some oil on low heat to sweat the vegetables for about 15 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Add the chicken stock and simmer on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water and set aside.
- Now that the wedding soup is completed, this is how you serve it.
- Add some of the soup broth with vegetables to a bowl. Place in some escarole. Add in some cooked acini di pepe. Place in some meatballs. Grate in Parmesan cheese and serve
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: You can make the soup two days ahead and keep the meatballs, broth with vegetables, and acini di pepe separate.
How to Store: Place it in a lid container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can freeze I covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it for one day in the fridge before reheating it.
How to Reheat: Place your desired wedding soup into a small pot and heat over low heat until hot.
chef notes + tips
- This recipe makes quite a few meatballs, which I did on purpose to freeze half the batch.
- For a slight variation to this soup, use my Meatball Recipe, which has a few more herbs.
- I prefer to cook, cool, and keep the pasta separate before adding it to each bowl served so as not to overcook it when it’s sitting on the stovetop in the soup.
- I add the escarole to each bowl served so that it does not wilt in the soup while sitting on the stove.
More Soup Recipes
- Clam Chowder
- Pork Confit and Split Pea Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Chicken Dumpling Soup Recipe
Video
Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1 peeled small diced yellow onion
- 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup finely minced parsley
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 loaf Italian bread soaked in water and squeezed
- 5 eggs
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
For the Soup:
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 peeled medium diced yellow onion
- 3 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 4 stalks medium diced celery
- 4 peeled medium diced carrots
- 128 ounces chicken stock
- 2 heads escarole or 8 cups packed baby spinach
- 1 pound cooked and cooled acini di pepe
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Meatballs: Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed in and form small ping pong sized meatballs and set them on sheet trays lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in the oven at 400° for 22-25 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Freeze ½ of the meatballs and set the other ½ aside.
- Soup: Add the olive oil to a large soup pot along with the onions, garlic, celery and carrots and sweat over low heat for 15 minutes. Do not brown them.
- Add in the broth and simmer over low to medium heat for 15 more minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
- To Plate: Place some of the broth and vegetables into a bowl. Add in some of the cooked and cooled acini di pepe along with a small handful of escarole, and 5-6 meatballs.
- Grate on optional parmesan cheese.
Love, love your recipes Ty for your time and effort you put into your blog.
My pleasure. I appreciate you giving the recipes a try!
So excellent! Made this to rave reviews. I made the meatballs the day before and definitely keep & add the pasta separate. Always make and freeze extra meatballs. They come in so handy! Thanks for the recipe!
Excellent!
Hey Chef, it’s getting to be that time of year now and what a lovely soup here. I love this soup it’s delicious and so hardy. Great choice here…
Thank you kindly!
Made this again tonight, and as always, it turned out MAGNIFICENT! This is, by FAR, my favorite recipe of all time. OUTSTANDING, Chef Parisi…thanks for sharing!
My pleasure!
This is a must try recipe. Very flavorful and hits the spot!
I never thought of soaking bread to make the meatballs. Best meatballs I have ever made. Also, we made enough meatballs for spaghetti, which is one my daughter’s favorite.
Thanks Chef Parisi for sharing this recipe!
Love this
Thank you Chef recipe for meatballs just like my Mama made we all love Wedding soup👏👏👏❤️
Made 4 quarts with a few adjustments using what I had on hand. Made mini meatballs (around 150 with 20 ounces of ground turkey), substituted with pearl couscous & added zest of a lemon. Delicious!
love it!
I made your recipe for Italian Wedding Soup this week! It was delicious! Thank you for posting! So flavorish!
Jodi
I make this soup often.. it is so delicious
Made a smaller amount just for the two of us – it was great. I did use my own chicken stock and kale for the greens. Also like a little fresh thyme and rosemary in the meatballs. Cooking them on the stovetop is the way to go.
I’ve made several different versions of Italian Wedding Soup and this is the best one yet!
Shit, I just wrote my comments and was finishing up my story when it disappeared. I made this for Dinner tonight and it was delicious. I made 1/2 as many meatballs, and made them 1/2 the size of yours. I used my homemade Chicken Stock and Spinach instead of Escarole. Made enough to give some to a family friend for their Dinner Thanks again.
Those meatballs the texture and the flavor. Amazing! I made meatball subs with half the meatballs and the smaller ones went into the soup.
I made this soup and it was delicious. The meatballs are really flavorful and the recipe was easy to follow.
My Pleasure!
My family loved the soup, extra meatballs on the freezer ready to go!! Thank you Chef B!
My pleasure!
So tasty 😋 thank you ChiefBilly 👏😋
my pleasure
My favorite go to soup. I bake my meatballs and add to broth. I use 1/2 chicken and 1/2 beef broth. I dice up carrots and celery fine. Spinach.I have also added 2 eggs scrambled to make egg drop broth. I freeze in single serving for take to work for lunches
thanks!
Flavorful and FABULOUS! The meatballs were tasty and tender as advertised. Used fresh chopped spinach and it was great. No kidding it makes a lot of meatballs, but I’ve got great bowls of “goodness” for several meals to come. Thank you Chef Billy!
my pleasure!
SOUPER flavorful, pun intended. The meatballs made this, and yes, it makes a ton of meatballs, but now I can have this wonderful soup in no time. I used chopped spinach instead of escarole because I had it and it was very flavorful. This is a definite keeper!
Thank you!
Yes, Delicious!!! I used spinach. Next time escarole. Mmm!
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Great recipe, L.O.V.E. the soup. Very tasty and easy to follow directions.
I want to make this soup It’s the first thing I ate after baby food and I would love to make it with your recipe I’d also like to watch the video anyone who loves the pasta should get it asap because this is the last year it is going to be made I also that urs will be the best
I made this soup with slight adjustments (type of pasta not available at the time) and I loved it. Delicious, hearty soup on a cold winter day.
so good!!
The best soup I have ever eaten. Could not stop eating those meatballs!
so good!!
I love home made soups, so I tried this one with store bought chicken stock, next time I will use your chicken stock. The soup was still very good!!
thank you so kindly!!
Absolutely delicious!
so good!!
A+ is the grade for this soup by my church dinner friends. Didn’t have a drop to bring home. I’ll make this IWS again.!!
Awesome!
This is the best soup and the best meatballs I have ever tasted. I love the meatballs so much it is hard to stop eating them long enough to make the soup.
Wow, thank you!
I have made this soup 3 times already. It is super delish. And I still have some left over frozen meatballs for another one. And as usual I added in red Thai peppers to spice it up..mmmm good
Nice.
I’ve made this recipe several times! Doubling the recipe for the meatballs is the greatest idea. The second time you make the soup — quick and easy!
Yes!
So delicious! This recipe is one I crave. And the extra meatballs are great to gave in the freezer and pull out when you need them. LOVE!
Made this for my grandsons and they loved it!
I just discovered your website and I am very excited to find this recipe. Your story about it really interested me because the only wedding soup I’ve ever had that I really loved was a canned soup made in Italy. It’s been a long time since I had escarole, but if I recall, it’s kind of tough. Should it be shredded before we put it in the bowl? Can’t wait to make this!
No, it wilts in there just like any other leafy green 🙂
Your recipe’s always look so good and you make it look so easy to make! Thank you for that! I have made several of your recipes and they are always good!!
Meatballs were time consuming but so delicious. Soup was very good too. I used spinach since I couldn’t find the other. Definitely will make it again! Wish I could attach a pic of it as (sorry Chef) mine kind of looked better than yours. LOL. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
I’m a chef from northeast Ohio. When my Italian Grandmother made it she would put a whole chicken a let it simmer until the meat fell off the bones. That how we do it in Ohio. Try it I Guarantee you’ll love it . By the way I really love your hat what is the name of it?
This is on my menu for this week! Can I use Couscous instead of Acini di pepe? Having a hard time finding it….
yes, Israeli cous cous
This was incredibly satisfying to make and to eat. Those meatballs are sooo good.
One word: ridiculous! This was so good! I cut the meatball recipe in half and still had to freeze some!
Thanks Chef,
This is the best soup I have ever made. Following instructions, everything turned out Great 😌! We are Italian now and my husband thinks it’s the best ever also😉
Your recipe reminds me of a time long ago, when I was very young and I ordered Italian Wedding soup at a local Italian restaurant in NYC’s Little Italy. Thank you for the walk down memory lane. And thank you for this delicious recipe. I did go ahead and add some parmesan cheese rind to the cooking stock for a little added depth of flavor. Turns out it was a good move. Again thank you!
Billy, this soup looks so amazing! I need to try it out before it gets too warm here in Phoenix, which is like March, LOL
perfect soup to get you through winter
Billy this soup looks AMAZING and those meatballs, especially. I also appreciate that you’ve really explained exactly how to make this recipe, which I intend to make this weekend! 🙂
Oh my goodness this looks amazing! With all this horrible cold weather, I need a bowl of this soup STAT