Italian wedding soup is the kind of cozy, classic soup that feels like a full meal in one bowl. You get tender, bite-sized meatballs, a savory broth, and just enough pasta to make it hearty without feeling heavy.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Italian Wedding Soup
🕒 Ready In: ~45 minutes
👪 Serves: 8
🍽 Calories: ~320 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Ground beef meatballs, chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, pastina, spinach, parmesan
📖 Dietary Info: Dairy-free option, gluten-free option
👌 Difficulty: Easy - stovetop soup
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This version is designed to be weeknight friendly and reliable. The meatballs stay juicy, the vegetables build a rich base, and the spinach gets stirred in at the end so it stays vibrant instead of turning dull.
If you're planning a soup night, try our Shrimp Boil Soup, Cauliflower Pea Soup, Lobster Bisque, or Cheeseburger Soup.
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Why You'll Love Italian Wedding Soup:
Tender Mini Meatballs: Small meatballs cook quickly and stay juicy, making every spoonful satisfying.
Hearty but Not Heavy: Pastina adds comfort without turning the soup overly thick.
Classic Flavor: Onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and Italian seasoning create a rich, savory broth.
Great for Meal Prep: It reheats well and makes a big batch for lunches and easy dinners.
Key Ingredients:
- mini meatballs. The signature part of Italian wedding soup, and making them small helps them cook quickly and stay tender.
- chicken broth. Creates the savory base and carries all the flavor from the vegetables and meatballs. Use homemade chicken broth for the best flavor.
- onion, carrots, and celery. Build the classic soup base and give the broth a richer flavor.
- pastina. The small pasta that makes Italian wedding soup hearty and comforting.
- spinach. Adds color and balance, and it wilts in quickly right before serving.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Meat swap: Use ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef for a lighter Italian wedding soup.
- Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs in the meatballs and swap pastina for gluten-free small pasta or rice.
- Dairy-free option: Skip the parmesan in the meatballs and serve with a dairy-free topping, or use a dairy-free parmesan style alternative.
- Greens swap: Use escarole or kale instead of spinach, but add sturdier greens a few minutes earlier so they soften.
- Pasta tip: If you want the soup less thick, cook the pastina separately and add it to each bowl.
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup:
- Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, 2 minced garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Mix gently until combined, then roll into small meatballs.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Step 3: In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add the remaining 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Step 4: Pour in the chicken broth and stir in 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Step 5: Add the meatballs back to the pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the pastina and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- Step 6: Add the fresh spinach and stir until wilted. Serve warm with parmesan cheese on top.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Roll small meatballs: Smaller meatballs cook quickly and give you the classic Italian wedding soup texture in every spoonful.
- Mix gently: Overmixing can make meatballs tough, so mix just until combined.
- Brown for flavor: Browning the meatballs first adds extra flavor to the broth from the browned bits in the pot.
- Do not overcook the pasta: Pastina cooks fast, so keep an eye on it and pull the soup off heat once it's tender.
- Add spinach last: Stir it in at the end so it stays bright and does not turn dull.
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How to Store:
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Note that the pastina will continue to absorb broth, so you may need to add more when reheating.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat, adding extra broth or water to loosen the soup.
Freeze: For best texture, freeze the soup without the pastina. Cook fresh pastina when reheating. Freeze the broth, veggies, and meatballs in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Italian Wedding Soup FAQs:
To keep meatballs tender in Italian wedding soup, mix the meat gently and avoid overworking it. Rolling small meatballs helps them cook quickly, and simmering them in broth keeps them moist.
Yes, you can make Italian wedding soup gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs in the meatballs and swapping pastina for gluten-free small pasta or rice. Check that your broth is gluten-free as well.
Italian wedding soup can thicken as it sits because the pastina absorbs broth. To prevent this, cook the pastina separately and add it to each bowl, or add extra broth when reheating.
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Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup pastina
- 3 cups fresh spinach
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, 2 minced garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning. Mix gently until combined, then roll into small meatballs.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add the remaining 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir in 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Add the meatballs back to the pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the pastina and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Add the fresh spinach and stir until wilted. Serve warm with parmesan cheese on top.
Nutrition
Notes
- Roll small meatballs: Smaller meatballs cook quickly and give you the classic Italian wedding soup texture in every spoonful.
- Mix gently: Overmixing can make meatballs tough, so mix just until combined.
- Brown for flavor: Browning the meatballs first adds extra flavor to the broth from the browned bits in the pot.
- Do not overcook the pasta: Pastina cooks fast, so keep an eye on it and pull the soup off heat once it's tender.
- Add spinach last: Stir it in at the end so it stays bright and does not turn dull.
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