This easy homemade Italian wedding soup recipe is the absolute BEST! My whole family loves it, and yours will, too. Check out the rave reviews.
In the soup aisle of Target, my tear-streaked five-year-old was looking forlornly at the spot where her favorite soup used to reside.
For a year, I’d been scooping up every box of Archer Farms Italian Wedding Soup I could get my hands on during our Target trips. She ate it almost every day for lunch. And sadly, it had been discontinued.
I promised her we’d find another Italian wedding soup just as good; and if not, I’d replicate it myself.
We tried brand after brand and none of them matched up. Some had carrots (a no go), others had no pasta (unacceptable), some were too salty, some too bland, etc.
So I got to work creating a homemade Italian wedding soup recipe that would fit the bill.
The upside to making it myself was that I could use quality ingredients and eliminate the parmesan cheese to make it dairy free. (This way, my other daughter with a dairy allergy could enjoy it as well.)
We all loved it, and I’ve been making this easy Italian wedding soup recipe in double batches ever since. What makes it so easy is that you don’t need to brown the meatballs beforehand. Cooking them in the broth saves you time, and also infuses the broth with lots of flavor.
This soup is delicious, comforting, and hearty enough for dinner, especially if you serve it with a salad and some good, fresh crusty bread.
Shortcuts and Substitutions
Make Ahead Freezer Cooking Tip:
Now that I know that my Italian wedding soup is a winner, I always double the meatball part of the recipe, and freeze half of the meatballs for later so that I can quickly make another batch.
To do this, just form the second set of meatballs on a baking sheet, and place the baking sheet in the freezer.
Once the meatballs are frozen completely, put them into a gallon freezer bag.
The next time you want to make this soup, just boil the broth, toss in the spinach, frozen meatballs, and pasta, and cook until the pasta and meatballs are done.
Best Pasta to Use in Italian Wedding Soup:
The best pasta to use in Italian wedding soup is Acini de Pepe. These are tiny pasta balls that are perfect for soup because they don’t overtake the other ingredients. If you can’t find Acini de Pepe, you can substitute another small noodle such as ditalini, small shells, or orzo.
Use a Food Processor to Speed Things Up:
If you own a food processor, you can make this recipe even faster by grating/chopping the onion, parsley, garlic, and even the bread right in the processor.
If you don’t own one, no worries! It can still be made quickly and easily using a regular grater and a knife.
(If anyone’s in the market for a food processor, here’s an affiliate link to the 11-cup food processor I use. I’ve had it for years.)
Greens in Italian Wedding Soup:
I use spinach in this recipe because that’s what my family prefers. Typically I use frozen spinach, but chopped fresh spinach works as well. Escarole is another commonly used green in wedding soup. Both are great – it’s simply a matter of preference and what you’ve got on hand.
Avoiding Greasy Broth:
I prefer to use lean pork and beef in this recipe to cut down on grease in the broth. Another alternative is to skim the fat from the broth prior to serving.
Some commenters suggested pre-cooking the meatballs in the oven to eliminate grease, but I personally like to cook them directly in the broth because it adds great flavor.
ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
Ingredients
- 1 small onion grated
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 slice white bread crusts trimmed, grated or shredded
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan optional
- 8 oz lean ground beef
- 8 oz ground pork
- 12 cups chicken broth
- 10 oz frozen chopped spinach
- approx 6-8 oz of Acini de Pepe or other tiny pasta*
- 2 tbsp parmesan optional
Instructions
- To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Then add the cheese, beef, and pork. Shape the meat mixture into meatballs, and place on a baking sheet. I prefer the meatballs to be on the smaller side, but you can make them any size you want.
- To make the soup: Bring the broth and frozen spinach to a boil in a large pot. Add the meatballs (uncooked) and simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they don’t stick. Add the pasta and continue cooking at a low boil until both the pasta and meatballs are cooked (approx 20 minutes). Season with salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving, if you wish.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
After you’ve made this soup, comment and let me know how you liked it! Also, be sure to try my family’s other favorite soup: AUTHENTIC ITALIAN PASTA E FAGIOLI
Here are some related posts you might like, too:
- 25 Easy Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights
- Simple Basil Pesto (dairy free)
- Potato, Corn and Green Chile Chowder
Dee says
My go-to soup recipe. My kid loves it!
Cat Venne says
This is absolutely one of the beat soups I’ve ever made! I make it all the time, the only thing I can’t perfect is the amount of noodles but that’s only because I have picky family members😂
I would love to see more of your comfort food recipes😊
This is sooo easy and can be made at the last minute and uses ingredients you already have lying around the house, I really can’t say enough about this soup!