Italian Wedding Soup
Published on January 13, 2025
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Why You’ll Love Italian Wedding Soup
- One-Pot Meal: With everything coming together in a single pot, the flavors meld beautifully, and cleanup is easy!
- Comforting & Satisfying: The tender, flavorful meatballs, paired with fresh greens and small pasta, create a hearty soup that warms you from the inside out.
- Versatile: You can easily customize this soup to fit your taste preferences.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: It tastes even better the next day.
Italian Wedding Soup (Minestra Maritata) is a classic soup that is the perfect combination of comfort and flavor. The soup wasn’t originally tied to weddings, its name is derived from the way the ingredients “marry” together in perfect harmony.
The soup’s balance of savory, juicy meatballs, tender greens, hearty pasta, and rich broth makes it an ideal meal for cold nights, family gatherings, or any time you need a little extra warmth.
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some ingredient notes before you get started.
- Meatballs: The heart of the soup, made from a mixture of ground turkey and sausage, along with breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, and herbs. You can experiment with different combinations of meat. Ground turkey or chicken works well for a lighter version of the soup, you can also use ground beef or a mixture of meats. You need one pound total.
- Greens: Traditionally, escarole is the green of choice for Italian Wedding Soup, but I use spinach because I always have it in my fridge. Kale would also work.
- Broth: Rich chicken broth (or stock) serves as the base of the soup. You can also use vegetable broth.
- Pasta: Use acini di pepe, a tiny pasta that is great for soups. If you can’t find it, orzo, ditalini, or pearl couscous are good options. The pasta adds a bit of texture and makes the soup more filling.
- Seasonings: Garlic, Italian seasoning, and a little fresh lemon juice help bring the soup to life. A pinch of red pepper flakes also adds a touch of heat.
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup
- Make the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey (or beef), ground sausage, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Use clean hands to mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Form the mixture into meatballs. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size meatballs and transfer to a large plate. You can use a small cookie scoop to make it easier.
- Brown the meatballs. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Cook the meatballs in batches, turning them until they’re browned on all sides. They don’t have to be cooked all the way through because they will finish cooking in the soup. Transfer cooked meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Prepare the soup base. In a large pot, cook the onion, carrots, and celery in oil until the veggies are tender. Add garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Simmer the soup. Pour in the broth, season, and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta and meatballs, reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook until the pasta is tender and meatballs are cooked through.
- Add spinach, lemon, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until the spinach (or escarole) is wilted.
- Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve hot with crusty bread on the side for the ultimate comfort meal.
Storing & Freezing
- Storing in the Refrigerator: Let the soup cool and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the soup for up to 3 months. If you’ve stored the pasta separately, it will freeze better and maintain its texture. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
- White Bean Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Easy Chicken and Rice Soup
- Ham and Bean Soup
MORE SOUP RECIPES!
Italian Wedding Soup
This hearty soup, known for its "marriage" of tender meatballs, fresh greens, small pasta, and savory broth is perfect for cozy dinners and family gatherings, offering a delicious blend of textures and rich, well-balanced flavors.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1/2 lb. ground turkey* (or ground beef)
- 1/2 lb. ground Italian sausage*
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for cooking
For the soup:
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3/4 cup acini de pepe pasta
- 4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped (can use escarole)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, ground sausage, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, fresh parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Gently toss with hands until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size meatballs and transfer to a large plate.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until browned on all sides, turning occasionally. They don’t have to be cooked all the way through because they will finish cooking in the soup. Transfer cooked meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat the process with remaining meatballs.
- In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 5 minutes, or until veggies have softened. Add garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Poor in the broth and bring to a boil. Season soup with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, to taste. Add in the pasta and meatballs, reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pot with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes or until pasta is tender and meatballs are cooked through.
- Stir in spinach, lemon juice, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for one more minute. Remove from heat.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
You need 1 lb ground meat. We like to use a mix of ground turkey and Italian sausage, but you can use all ground turkey, all ground beef, all Italian sausage, or a mix!
Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 1021mg, Potassium: 534mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 5419IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 139mg, Iron: 3mg
Have you tried this recipe?
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We love Italian Wedding Soup and yours looks delicious. When I looked on my blog, I discovered that it’s been seven years since I made it but your post will change that.