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    Home » Recipes » Soup Recipes

    Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

    Published: Nov 29, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    1.3K shares
    • Facebook808
    • Yummly
    4.99 from 80 votes
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    Pinterest image for wedding soup

    During my restaurant days, Italian Wedding Soup was a mainstay on my menus. Loaded with fresh vegetables, little homemade meatballs, and escarole in a rich flavorful chicken broth is perfect for any occasion.

    italian wedding soup in a white bowl

    Did you know Italian Wedding Soup did not get its name from being served at Italian weddings? True Story, the term “wedding” comes from the Italian phrase “minestra maritata” and refers to the marriage of ingredients in the soup, creating an amazingly flavorful soup!

    two bowls of wedding soup with pot of soup

    The origins of the soup can be traced back to the Neapolitan region of Italy. Of course, you’ll find many local variations in the different regions of Italy. Using simple ingredients, Italian Wedding Soup is the perfect example of la Cucina Povera, the no-waste “poor cooking” tradition from rural Italy.

    ingredients to make soup

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Italian Wedding soup. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

    Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Simple Pantry Ingredients

    • celery
    • carrots
    • onions
    • olive oil
    • escarole
    • ground beef
    • ground pork
    • bread crumbs
    • chicken stock
    • parmesan cheese

    How to make mini meatballs

    collage showing how to make mini meatballs
    • add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, bread crumbs, Romano or parmesan cheese, and seasonings to a large bowl.
    • and mix just enough to incorporate all the ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.

    Alternative meatball ingredients

    • Meatballs can be made out of all beef or all pork.
    • Ground sausage can be used instead of ground pork.
    • You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey to make the mini meatballs.
    pile of mini meatballs in white bowl

    Form the meat mixture into marble size meatballs. Refrigerate until needed.

    *These meatballs can be made ahead of time and frozen. To freeze, place the meatballs in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. When frozen, place the meatballs in a ziplock bag and keep them frozen.

    How to make Italian Wedding Soup

    collage showing how to make recipe
    • Add celery, carrots and onions to a large pot with a little olive oil over medium heat.
    • Let the veggies cook for 5-6 minutes.
    • Add the chicken broth to the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a light boil.
    • Add the meatballs to the soup and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes to cook the meatballs.
    • Add the chopped escarole to the soup (baby spinach or your favorite leafy green can be used instead of escarole)
    • Reduce the heat to simmer and continue to cook the soup.

    Can I add pasta to the soup?

    Italian Wedding Soup does not traditionally have pasta in the soup, but pasta is a great addition to this classic Italian soup. I like to add tortellini to my wedding soup; there are so many great options in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Acini de pepe, or one of the mini varieties of pasta, are also great choices.

    partial view of Italian wedding soup in white bowl

    Whether you serve this for dinner, lunch or you’re next party; everyone is going to love the simplicity and flavors of Italian Wedding Soup. Just don’t forget to have plenty of crusty bread, European butter and grated cheese on hand. Add a salad, and you just made dinner a special occasion.

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What are the ingredients for Italian Wedding Soup?

    A mixture of ground beef and ground pork (or sausage) are used to make the meatballs for the soup. Add Italian seasonings, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and an egg to make the meatball mixture.
    The soup is made of a mirepoix (celery, onions, carrots), escarole, and chicken broth.

    What is Italian wedding soup called in Italy?

    The classical Neapolitan soup we know as Italian Wedding soup is called minestra maritata, in Italy. This translates to “married soup”, not wedding soup, and refers to the marriage of the flavors.

    Can I make chicken meatballs for this soup?

    You can use ground chicken or ground turkey for the meatball mixture. Both turn out really well and are good substitutes.

    More Soup Recipes You’ll Love!

    • Classic Minestrone Soup Recipe
    • Homemade Manhattan Clam Chowder Recipe
    • Sausage and Bean Minestra Recipe
    • How to make Restaurant-Style Seafood Soup

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    partial view of Italian wedding soup in white bowl
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    4.99 from 80 votes

    Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

    Italian Wedding Soup is the perfect chicken soup for any occasion, not just weddings! Add your favorite small pasta for added deliciousness  
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time55 mins
    Total Time1 hr 15 mins
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 367kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • 2 carrots diced
    • 4 stalks celery diced
    • 1 medium onion diced
    • olive oil for sauteing veggies
    • 4 – 5 cups chicken stock
    • 1 head escarole chopped – or your favorite green
    • sea salt and pepper to taste

    Mini Meatballs

    • ½ lb lean ground beef
    • ½ lb ground pork
    • 1 large egg
    • ½ cup breadcrumbs
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • ½ teaspoon basil
    • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely minced
    • 2 tablespoons Romano or parmesan cheese grated
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add celery, carrots and onions to a large pot with a little bit of olive oil over medium heat.
    • Let the veggies cook for 5-6 minutes.
    • Add the chicken broth to the pot and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a light boil and let the pot simmer for 15- 20 minutes.
    • Add the meatballs to the soup and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. This will cook the meatballs.
      *Cooking the meatballs in the broth will enhance the flavor of the soup.
    • Add the chopped escarole to the soup (baby spinach or your favorite leafy green can be used instead of escarole. )Reduce the heat to simmer and continue to cook the soup for an additional 15-20 minutes.

    Mini Meatballs

    • Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, bread crumbs, Romano or parmesan cheese, and seasonings to a large bowl. and mix just enough to incorporate all the ingredients. Be careful not to overmix.
    • Form marble size meatballs from the mix and when finished drop them gently into the hot broth.
    • Serve with a little grated romano cheese and enjoy!

    Notes

    Alternative meatball ingredients:
    • Meatballs can be made out of all beef or all pork.
    • Ground sausage can be used instead of ground pork.
    • You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey to make the mini meatballs.
    Add Pasta to the soup
    Italian Wedding Soup does not traditionally have pasta in the soup, but pasta is a great addition to this classic Italian soup. I like to add tortellini to my wedding soup; there are so many great options in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Acini de pepe, or one of the mini varieties of pasta, are also great choices.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 892mg | Potassium: 992mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5154IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    More Soup Recipes

    • Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe
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    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dorothy Gardiner

      December 04, 2022 at 11:48 am

      5 stars
      When my husband was having Chemo, he would always ask for a version of this soup…..he asked that I add chunks of chicken, and I would….I also added some crumbled hard boiled egg.grated the carrots and added some pasta. He even GAINED some weight it tasted so good to him.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        December 04, 2022 at 1:24 pm

        I’m happy to hear that your husband found something he could enjoy during a very difficult time in his life. And kudos to you for adapting and adding ingredients to the soup to make it even more delicious!

        Reply
    2. Natalie

      September 19, 2021 at 11:51 am

      5 stars
      Lovely light soup. One of my favorite.

      Reply
    3. Jamie

      September 18, 2021 at 3:38 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious and flavorful!

      Reply
    4. Rob

      September 18, 2021 at 12:33 pm

      5 stars
      It was delicious!

      Reply
    5. Luca

      September 18, 2021 at 10:14 am

      5 stars
      Amazing recipe, really easy to follow!

      Reply
    6. Addie

      September 17, 2021 at 10:32 pm

      5 stars
      This was such a hearty and flavorful soup!

      Reply
    7. Brianna

      September 17, 2021 at 3:57 pm

      5 stars
      So flavorful, absolutely love the meatballs!

      Reply
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