Italian Wedding Soup

This nourishing chicken and mini meatball soup, famously known as Italian Wedding Soup, takes me right back to my Nonna’s kitchen. She always had a big stockpot of this hearty, but delicate soup simmering on the stovetop when I visited her.

Taken from the Neapolitan minestra maritata, or “married soup,” the name refers to the marriage of delicious ingredients that come together in the dish. To get the full experience, the meatballs should be small, spoon-sized, and the greens and the pasta delicate and yielding to the other flavors. While my nonna made homemade stock, this recipe was adapted to be weeknight-friendly and use store-bought stock.

The crowning touch is a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese right before serving. It’s a complete meal all in one, but if you’d like to pair it with a simple Parmesan salad or fluffy rosemary focaccia bread, I wouldn’t blame you!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Italian wedding soup recipe:

• Fresh breadcrumbs: A sturdy loaf of bread will give you the best texture for the meatballs.
• Whole milk: Soaking the bread in milk adds richness and moisture to the meatballs.
• Ground beef and pork: Using a mix of both gives the meatballs a better flavor, but feel free to use one or the other if you prefer.
• Egg: Helps to bind the meatball mixture.
• Garlic: I use just one clove because the garlic flavor should be subtle.
• Parsley: Gives the meatballs a welcome freshness.
• Escarole or spinach: Escarole is tough when raw, but becomes meltingly tender in broth. Spinach makes a good substitute; or you can use Swiss chard leaves.
• Carrots: Add depth and sweetness.
• Celery: Gives the broth an appealing vegetal note. Substitute fennel.
• Chicken broth: Use a quality low-sodium store-bought, homemade chicken stock, or make your own.
• Pasta: You can choose any small, thin pasta you like. In my family, we use capellini or thin spaghetti. I sometimes use tiny star pastina, but it’s more traditional to break long, thin noodles right into the simmering broth. Many recipes call for acini di pepe or ditalini and both are welcome choices.
• Parmesan: Nothing beats the robust, rich umami flavor of genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese! It’s worth seeking out if you can.

How to Make Italian Wedding Soup

The most time-consuming part about making this Italian wedding soup recipe is rolling the tiny meatballs, but it’s well-worth it! And feel free to make them the day before. Here are the steps:

Make the Meatballs

• Soak the bread: In a large mixing bowl, combine 3/4 cup torn pieces of fresh sturdy bread and 1/4 cup whole milk. Let sit for about 15 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed the liquid. Gently squeeze out the excess milk from the bread and return the bread to the bowl.
• Make the meatball mixture. Line a large baking sheet or platter with parchment paper. To the bowl with the bread, add 1 beaten egg, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 teaspoons chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 ounces each ground beef and ground pork. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
• Shape the meatballs: Dampen your hands with cold water, pinch off small pieces of the mixture (1 to 2 teaspoons) and roll them into balls about the size of a marble, setting them on the prepared baking sheet or platter as you go. You should end up with 60 to 100 meatballs, depending on how small you roll them.

Cook the Soup

• Saute the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. When shimmering, add 2 peeled and chopped carrots and 2 chopped celery ribs. Saute until softened, about 5 minutes. 
• Cook the meatballs and wilt the greens. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium. Carefully drop in the meatballs and stir gently. Add 5 ounces chopped escarole or baby spinach. Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the greens have wilted, about 10 minutes. 
• Finish with the pasta. Stir in 1 1/4 cups broken capellini, thin spaghetti, or other small soup pasta. Let the soup boil gently until the pasta is al dente according to the package; the cooking time will vary depending on which pasta you use and the brand. Ladle the hot soup into shallow bowls and sprinkle each serving with freshly grated Parmesan.

Make-Ahead and Storage

• Get ahead: Make the meatballs and store in the fridge for 1 day, or in your freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze and defrost without them sticking together:
  • Space apart on sheet pan and freeze completely before transferring to a zip top bag.
  • Defrost in your refrigerator overnight spaced apart on a sheet pan.
• Storage: Store leftovers in a tightly lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, hold off on the pasta and boil it just before serving.
• To reheat: Transfer to a pot and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Add a splash or two of broth or water to loosen the soup, if necessary. Once boiling, remove from the heat and serve.

More of My Italian Family Recipes

If you love real Italian recipes like this wedding soup, try these other family favorites:

• Pasta Pomodoro
• Gnocchi alla Sorrentina
• Lentil Potato Soup

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