Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Introduction

Italian Wedding Soup is a comforting, flavorful dish featuring tender mini meatballs and fresh greens in a savory broth. This classic soup is perfect for cozy evenings and brings a delightful balance of textures and tastes to your table.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (sub gluten-free if needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic pressed or grated)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (or 3 tablespoons grated onion or shallot)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese or pecorino romano, grated
• 1 pound ground turkey (or use ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken, better than beef crumbles, beyond beef)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 2 cups carrots, chopped (about 2 large carrots)
• 1 1/2 cups celery, diced (about 3 ribs)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 cups chicken broth, low-sodium (see notes)
• 5 cups kale, roughly chopped (escarole, endive, or fresh spinach can be used)
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried (or fresh oregano)
• 1/2 cup small pasta (acini de pepe, pastina, pearl couscous, orzo, or ditalini)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a fork and stir in the bread crumbs. Add garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, chopped parsley, and grated parmesan. Mix well, then fold in the ground turkey until combined.
2. Step 2: Form mini meatballs by holding a palm-sized portion of the mixture in your non-dominant hand and pinching off about a teaspoon to roll gently between your fingers. This should yield about 80 small meatballs.
3. Step 3: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, sear the meatballs until browned on all sides. Set aside.
4. Step 4: In the same pot, add a bit more olive oil if needed and sauté onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, salt, and pepper over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
5. Step 5: Pour in the chicken broth, then add the seared meatballs, chopped kale, thyme, and small pasta. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until pasta is al dente and meatballs are cooked through.
6. Step 6: Stir in the minced fresh parsley. Adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
7. Step 7: Serve hot, topped with additional grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of Aleppo or red pepper flakes, if desired.

Tips & Variations

• For a gluten-free option, substitute panko bread crumbs with gluten-free bread crumbs.
• Ground chicken or pork can be used instead of turkey for varied flavor.
• Use fresh herbs like oregano or basil if thyme isn’t available.
• Make the meatballs ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze for easy meal prep.
• If preferred, cook meatballs directly in the broth instead of searing for a lighter soup.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat to prevent the pasta from becoming mushy. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use other greens besides kale?

Yes, escarole, endive, or fresh spinach all work well and can be substituted based on your preference or what you have on hand.

What pasta is best for Italian Wedding Soup?

Small pasta shapes like acini de pepe, pastina, pearl couscous, or ditalini are ideal as they cook quickly and blend nicely with the bite-sized meatballs.

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 68 reviews

Italian Wedding Soup is a classic, comforting soup featuring tender meatballs, fresh vegetables, and small pasta in a savory chicken broth. This recipe uses ground turkey meatballs seasoned with aromatic herbs and spices, seared for extra flavor, then simmered in broth with kale, thyme, and delicate pasta. It’s a wholesome, flavorful soup perfect for warming meals.

• Author: Luna
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Low Fat

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Meatballs

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (sub gluten-free if needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic pressed or grated)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (or 3 tablespoons grated onion or shallot)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese or pecorino romano, grated
• 1 pound ground turkey (or ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken, better than beef crumbles, beyond beef)

For the Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 2 cups carrots, chopped (about 2 large carrots)
• 1 1/2 cups celery, diced (about 3 ribs)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 cups kale, roughly chopped (or escarole, endive, or fresh spinach)
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried (or fresh oregano)
• 1/2 cup small pasta such as acini de pepe, pastina, pearl couscous, orzo, or ditalini
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

1. Mix meatball ingredients: In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a fork, then stir in the bread crumbs. Add garlic powder, onion powder, ground nutmeg, finely chopped fresh parsley, and grated parmesan cheese. Mix well, then fold in the ground turkey until evenly combined.
2. Form meatballs: Take a palm-sized portion of the meat mixture in your non-dominant hand. Pinch off about a teaspoon of the mixture and gently roll it between your fingers to form small, marble-sized meatballs. Continue until all mixture is formed into approximately 80 small meatballs. Making meatballs ahead can ease prep.
3. Sear meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, add the meatballs and sear them, turning as needed until browned on all sides. This step builds flavor and is done in the same pot that will be used to make the soup.
4. Sauté aromatics: Add additional olive oil if needed, then add chopped onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until vegetables soften and become fragrant.
5. Add broth and other ingredients: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth followed by the seared meatballs, roughly chopped kale, minced fresh thyme, and the small pasta.
6. Simmer the soup: Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente and the meatballs are cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
7. Finish with parsley and adjust seasoning: Stir in the minced fresh parsley. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice as desired for brightness.
8. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of Aleppo flakes or red pepper flakes for a touch of heat if desired.

Notes

• Panko bread crumbs can be substituted with gluten-free bread crumbs if needed for gluten sensitivity.
• For alternative cooking methods, meatballs can be baked or air fried instead of seared on the stovetop, but searing in the soup pot adds depth of flavor.
• Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control the saltiness of the soup.
• Greens such as kale can be swapped with escarole, endive, or fresh spinach depending on preference or availability.
• Small pasta shapes work best to keep the traditional texture and presentation of the soup.
• Make the meatballs ahead of time and keep refrigerated or frozen for convenient meal prep.

Keywords: Italian Wedding Soup, meatballs, turkey meatballs, kale soup, comforting soup, Italian soup, bone broth, healthy soup