Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Total time: 45 mins
A versatile soup that you can make on any vessel you prefer. Italian Wedding Soup is a comforting soup that is perfect for cold nights and long days at work. For a quick and easy dinner meal, make it with either homemade meatballs or frozen.
Ingredients
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1 tbsp Olive Oil
Meatballs:
½ pound ground beef, 80% lean
½ pound ground pork
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 c Italian breadcrumbs, homemade is best
¼ c Parmesan Cheese, finely grated into a powder
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1/3 c fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
Soup:
1 ¼ c carrots, diced
1 ¼ c yellow onion, diced
¾ c celery, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
8 c Chicken broth, homemade is best
2 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt/Pepper
¾ c dry Acini De Pepe Pasta
8 ounces fresh Spinach
To Garnish:
Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
How to make Italian Wedding Soup
Stove Top Method:
Step 1: Gently mix the meatball ingredients, making sure to not overwork the meat for tender meatballs.
Step 2: Shape the mixture into inch balls.
Step 3: In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Step 4: Cook the meatballs in batches for about 2 to 3 minutes until brown.
Step 5: When done, remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 6: In the same pan, saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes or until soft.
Step 7: Add the garlic to the pot and saute for a minute more.
Step 8: Pour in the chicken broth, add in the Italian seasoning, and if desired, season with salt and pepper.
Step 9: Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 10: Adjust the heat to medium before adding in the meatballs and pasta.
Step 11: Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the meatballs are completely cooked.
Step 12: Then, add in the spinach. Stir.
Step 13: When ready, garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Crock Pot Method:
Step 1: Gently mix the meatball ingredients but don’t over mix the meat.
Step 2: Roll and shape the meat mixture into inch balls.
Step 3: Brown the meatballs first on the stovetop as the brown bits on the bottom of the pot give so much flavour to the soup.
Step 4: Put the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and browned meatballs into the crockpot.
Step 5: Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Step 6: Add the acini de Pepe to the crockpot and continue to cook for 30 minutes more on low.
Step 7: Stir in the spinach, top with parmesan cheese, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Instant Pot Method:
Step 1: Follow the same step to combine and shape the meatball ingredients.
Step 2: On “Saute Mode”, add the olive oil into the Instant Pot.
Step 3: Cook the meatballs in batches for about 3 minutes until both sides are brown.
Step 4: Take the meatballs out of the pot and set aside.
Step 5: Saute the onions, carrots, and celery into the same pot for about 5 minutes until soft.
Step 6: Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.
Step 7: Pour in the chicken broth and using a silicone spatula, scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 8: Add the Italian seasoning into the pot followed by the meatballs.
Step 9: Cover, seal, and pressure cook for about 5 minutes.
Step 10: When done, “Quick Release” the steam.
Step 11: Then, add in the acini de Pepe and set it to “Saute”.
Step 12: Cook for another 9 minutes before stirring in the spinach.
Step 13: Before serving, garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan. Enjoy!
Note:
Instead of Acini De Pepe Pasta, you can use Orzo pasta, too.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 344kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 1398mg, Potassium: 887mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 8126IU, Vitamin C: 38mg, Calcium: 126mg, Iron: 4mg
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- Meatballs:
- ½ pound ground beef, 80% lean
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 Egg, beaten
- 1/2 c Italian breadcrumbs, homemade is best
- ¼ c Parmesan Cheese, finely grated into a powder
- 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1/3 c fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
- Soup:
- 1 ¼ c carrots, diced
- 1 ¼ c yellow onion, diced
- ¾ c celery, diced
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 8 c Chicken broth, homemade is best
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt/Pepper
- ¾ c dry Acini De Pepe Pasta
- 8 ounces fresh Spinach
- To Garnish:
- Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Stove Top Method:
Step 1: Gently mix the meatball ingredients, making sure to not overwork the meat for tender meatballs.
Step 2: Shape the mixture into inch balls.
Step 3: In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Step 4: Cook the meatballs in batches for about 2 to 3 minutes until brown.
Step 5: When done, remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 6: In the same pan, saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes or until soft.
Step 7: Add the garlic to the pot and saute for a minute more.
Step 8: Pour in the chicken broth, add in the Italian seasoning, and if desired, season with salt and pepper.
Step 9: Bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 10: Adjust the heat to medium before adding in the meatballs and pasta.
Step 11: Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the meatballs are completely cooked.
Step 12: Then, add in the spinach. Stir.
Step 13: When ready, garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Crock Pot Method:
Step 1: Gently mix the meatball ingredients but don’t over mix the meat.
Step 2: Roll and shape the meat mixture into inch balls.
Step 3: Brown the meatballs first on the stovetop as the brown bits on the bottom of the pot give so much flavour to the soup.
Step 4: Put the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and browned meatballs into the crockpot.
Step 5: Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
Step 6: Add the acini de Pepe to the crockpot and continue to cook for 30 minutes more on low.
Step 7: Stir in the spinach, top with parmesan cheese, and garnish with fresh parsley.
Instant Pot Method:
Step 1: Follow the same step to combine and shape the meatball ingredients.
Step 2: On “Saute Mode”, add the olive oil into the Instant Pot.
Step 3: Cook the meatballs in batches for about 3 minutes until both sides are brown.
Step 4: Take the meatballs out of the pot and set aside.
Step 5: Saute the onions, carrots, and celery into the same pot for about 5 minutes until soft.
Step 6: Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.
Step 7: Pour in the chicken broth and using a silicone spatula, scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 8: Add the Italian seasoning into the pot followed by the meatballs.
Step 9: Cover, seal, and pressure cook for about 5 minutes.
Step 10: When done, “Quick Release” the steam.
Step 11: Then, add in the acini de Pepe and set it to “Saute”.
Step 12: Cook for another 9 minutes before stirring in the spinach.
Step 13: Before serving, garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
Instead of Acini De Pepe Pasta, you can use Orzo pasta, too.