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Italian Wedding Soup

Italian wedding soup with tender mini meatballs, tiny pasta, and leafy greens simmered in a light savory chicken broth. Cook the meatballs gently, then simmer acini di pepe (or orzo) until tender for a comforting, weeknight-ready bowl.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 0.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.5 lb ground pork
  • 0.33 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 0.33 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 2 clove garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Soup
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 2 clove garlic cloves minced for soup
  • 8 cup chicken broth
  • 0.75 cup acini di pepe or orzo pasta
  • 4 cup chopped escarole or baby spinach

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the meatballs
  1. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, ground pork, Italian breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, milk, garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper until just combined.
  2. Roll the mixture into 3/4-inch meatballs and set them on a plate.
Build the soup base
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 minutes until softened.
  2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Simmer
  1. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
  2. Gently drop in the meatballs and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until cooked through.
  3. Stir in the pasta and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until tender.
  4. Add escarole or spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until wilted.
Finish and serve
  1. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve with extra Parmesan.

Notes

For tender meatballs, mix just until the ingredients come together—overmixing can make them tough. Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (freeze without extra Parmesan if possible). For a lighter option, swap half the meatballs for lean ground turkey and use part-skim milk.