Italian Wedding Soup
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Tender meatballs, veggies, and pasta in a rich and flavorful broth, Italian wedding soup is a meal unto itself.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
My kids love anything with meatballs in it (especially mini meatballs), so there’s always excitement at our house when Italian wedding soup is on the menu. The name “wedding soup” comes from the Italian phrase minestra maritata—or “married soup”—which is a reference to the way the flavors combine, like a happy marriage. Wedding soup is traditionally made from a rich, long-cooked homemade chicken stock. To save time and mimic the same rich flavor, I use a combination of high-quality store-bought broth fortified with wine and lots of veggies. For the meatballs, my secret is to add ground sausage to the beef mixture, which adds tons of flavor without the need for lots of other seasonings.
The most tedious part of the recipe is rolling the little meatballs (the recipe makes 50!), so I usually get one of the kids to help. Italian wedding soup is hearty and truly a meal unto itself. Serve it with warm bread—focaccia is especially good—and a Caesar salad, and dinner is served!
Table of Contents
“This soup is perfect for a cold evening meal, and a real crowd pleaser.”
What You’ll Need To Make Italian Wedding Soup
Note that the recipe calls for regular (not low-sodium) chicken and beef broth. I find the soup to be a bit bland with the low-sodium varieties, but if you special dietary considerations, go ahead and use low-sodium and season to taste before serving.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the meatballs.
In a large bowl, beat the egg with the chives, sage and garlic.
Add the ground beef, sausage, cheese, breadcrumbs, and salt.
Mash with your hands until evenly combined.
Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls (about 1 inch in diameter) and place on a greased oven-safe rack. (If you don’t have an oven-safe rack, it’s fine to cook the meatballs directly on the baking sheet; it’ll just be a little harder to get rid of the fat as it tends to collect around the meatballs.)
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside.
To make the soup, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes.
Add the chicken broth, beef broth, water, wine, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, at a gentle boil until the pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions).
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Reduce the heat to low and add the spinach and meatballs.
Simmer for a few minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the meatballs are warmed through. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Make It Ahead
If you’d like to make this soup part of your rotation and want to shave off a little time for the next time around, double the recipe for the meatballs and freeze half. That way, all you’ll have to do is make the soup and add the meatballs to it as directed in the recipe. (They may take a few extra minutes to warm through if you’re adding them directly from the freezer.)
Video Tutorial
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Italian Wedding Soup
Tender meatballs, veggies, and pasta in a rich and flavorful broth, Italian wedding soup is a meal unto itself.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ lb 85 or 90% lean ground beef
- ½ lb sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from the casings
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- ⅓ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cups high-quality chicken broth, such as Swanson (do not use low-sodium)
- 2 cups high-quality beef broth, such as Swanson (do not use low-sodium)
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup dry white wine (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper (okay to use black pepper)
- 1 cup small pasta such as dittalini
- 4 oz fresh spinach, stems trimmed and roughly chopped (once prepped, you should have about 3 packed cups)
- Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving
Instructions
- Make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set an oven-proof roasting rack over top. Spray the rack generously with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg with the chives, sage and garlic. Add the remaining meatball ingredients and mash with your hands until evenly combined. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls, about 1 inch in diameter (it will make approximately 50 meatballs), and place on the prepared rack. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, start the soup. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth, beef broth, water, wine, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, at a gentle boil until the pasta is al dente, 8 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions). Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Reduce the heat to low and add the spinach and meatballs. Simmer for a few minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the meatballs are warmed through. Ladle into bowls and serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months but wait until you reheat the soup to add the pasta. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender.
Nutrition Information
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- Calories: 359
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Sodium: 930 mg
- Cholesterol: 83 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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I made this soup this morning. It turned out really good! I used the hot Italian sausage and it spiced it up a notch. Even though I used the Artisan Baked Chicken & Beef Broth and added the wine, I felt it needed a bit more something so I added some of the Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base and that really brought out the flavor. I took a large container of soup to a friend today and now she wants the recipe.
This is more of a meatball soup. Not traditional Italian wedding soup. But sounds yummy.
Absolutely wonderful. I had it for lunch for several days after making this for dinner and the whole office was jealous. It is SO good and the soft pasta is still sublime reheated as well. The broth is to die for and the meatballs are awesome! Just perfect.
Excellent! Thanks for another fantastic recipe!
I made this exactly as written and it was delicious!
This would receive 5+ stars it is a keeper. I did add pepper flakes and a couple of dashes of maggi because I grew up with this. I did add 1.5 cups of pasta.
Jenn I may not have followed this exactly- I always buy unsalted Swanson stock or broth (definitely glad you call them high quality!!) I do too! I did follow the meatball recipe and while it doesn’t fall far from my usual I never thought of sage-so so gooood!! I had to add salt because I used my go to broth but other than that – wow the meatballs wow – thanks again for another “fail-proof” – and yes the reason I made this today was your weekly email- inspired❤️ Thanks Jenn!
If I choose not to use turkey sausage, is there another alternative you can suggest to add to the turkey to add additional moistness to the meatball?
Hi Cindy, You could use ground turkey here in place of the ground meat and sausage, but the meatballs won’t be nearly as flavorful (the sausage adds a lot of flavor and moisture to them). If you go that route, I would suggest adding some additional seasoning (like parsley, oregano, garlic) to the meatball mixture to boost the flavor a bit.
Why do you specify not using low-sodium for the broth? It is a dietary consideration for me and I find so many dishes have too much salt in them.
Hi Judy, when I tested this with low-sodium broth, I found it to be a bit bland. Feel free to use low-sodium broth, though, and then add salt to taste if necessary. Hope that clarifies!
LOVED this recipe!! I had fun making it.
New all-time favourite soup recipe! I accidentally took out too much meat for the meatballs so I made a double batch for next time! The soup was super easy and I had my own homemade chicken stock. Delicious!
What kind of white wine do you use for your Italian Wedding Soup….?
thank you so much!
Hi Deanne, My rule is to use something inexpensive but still good enough to drink. I love Vouvray (to drink) so that’s what I used in the photo but Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, etc. would all work well.
Very yummy and very easy to make. The sage was a little overpowering in my meatballs so I might put a little less next time, but there will be a next time.
Made this last night to rave reviews! My husband exclaimed “this is by far the best soup I have ever had”! Thanks, Jenn. Your recipes never disappoint.
My family loved this recipe for dinner and leftovers were enjoyed for lunch the next day. It has become one of our regular dinner recipes.
I gave this 5 stars because it is honestly the best Wedding soup I have tried. The recipe says to not use low sodium broth (and she is right), however that’s all I had in the pantry so I threw in some Parmesan rinds to compensate. Absolutely amazing!!! will make this over and over!
I’ll never try another wedding soup recipe. This is restaurant quality and freezes so well! I use acini de pepe pasta and I keep it separate from the soup if I’m not serving all of it, so it doesn’t soak up the broth. Every time I make it I tell myself next time I’ll make the meatballs smaller — but it doesn’t matter the size, they are always yummy! Thanks Jen!
I would like to make it without the pasta. Should I reduce the amount of liquid? I’m looking forward to trying it as I always enjoy your soups.
Yes, Mary, I definitely think you could get away with cutting back on the broth a bit. Hope you enjoy!
I made it without the pasta, with mini beef meatballs (purchased frozen) and I substituted 1/2 water and 1/2 White Wine Vinegar for the wine because I didn’t have any in the house. It turned out great. Really easy and delicious.
Wow I just made this and it is absolutely delicious. I did not have white wine bit did have dry red wine and it is perfect. Thanks for such complete directions. Easy to make and yummy.
Hi Jen, I made the meatballs ahead of time then froze them. Can I just add them to the soup frozen or should they be defrosted and warmed first? Thanks in advance! Love all your recipes!
Hi Samantha, If you have time to let them defrost in the fridge a bit, that’s great, but if not, you can just add them straight to the soup. Hope you enjoy!
The flavor of the meatballs is wonderful however the soup is lacking. I’m not a big fan of bay leaves and that’s all I could taste. I did follow the recipe as written. I ended up adding some tried basil and thyme. I’ll try it again but use all chicken broth and maybe some bouquet garni. * I’m a huge Jenn fan and this was my first disappointment!
amazing soup! unfortunately didn’t have regular broth in my pantry, just low sodium (and your right, the soup needs regular broth) however I compensated by throwing in a couple of Parmesan rinds, worked great! many thanks for the recipe.
Oh my goodness. This soup was well worth the effort! I made it in stages on a snow day with stir-crazy kids. This soup was amazing. My boys ate it quickly and silently, when suddenly my 4yo pops his head up with, “I beat everybody! Can I have another bowl?” Both of my kids gladly ate 2 bowls, and my husband was still talking about the meatballs days later. Will definitely be making this again!
Delicious! I doubled up on the meatballs and tossed half in the freezer for the next delicious batch!
Well Jenn, you have again taught this ooooold seasoned cook a thing or two. I have been making Italian wedding soup many years. I have always used only chicken broth, no beef broth. Also, in the past, I used only seasoned Italian sausage for making small meat balls. Your recipe was soooooo much better than mine. Family raved, best Italian wedding soup ever. I made one small variation from yours. I added a can of white beans. Thanks Jenn. Moral to story is you are never too old to learn new ways.
As with every recipe Jenn posts, this one is fabulous even with the changes I had to make to accommodate my gluten-free hubby. While shopping to make this soup, I couldn’t find little GF macaroni, so I substituted 2 cans of Goya Cannelloni Beans (about 4c total), drained and rinsed. I couldn’t find fresh sage either but thought I had plenty of dried at home. That turned out to be a senior moment, so I used thyme instead, which was perfect. I added the optional white wine, and topped each serving with freshly ground Parmesan-Romano. No surprise: rave reviews. The meatballs were especially hard not to gobble up, and this is possibly the best recipe for meatballs, ever (even using GF bread crumbs). So it’s a great soup BUT …
I’m a seasoned cook, and I can’t figure how I could have made this with 30 minutes prep and 30 minutes to cook. The meatballs alone took me nearly an hour (I didn’t have my grandson’s around to help me). Removing the stems from the baby spinach also took about 30 minutes. Fortunately, my husband stepped was my sous chef for the diced onions, carrots, and celery (usually about 10 minutes for me to make this amount of mirepoix).
To be fair to those who decide to make this — and it really is worth the time — I suggest you figure on closer to 2 hours total if you start with the meatballs and once they’re in the oven, work on everything else. The results are truly swoon-worthy.
Hi Robin, so glad you enjoyed the soup and I’m sorry that it took you much longer than the recipe indicates! I know that everyone’s timing is a bit different, but I think I will retest the recipe to see if I need to adjust the prep time. I appreciate your honest feedback!
How much is one serving of this soup?
Hi Kayla, I’d guesstimate each serving would be about 1.5 cups give or take.
Can you use ground turkey or chicken and chicken sausage? I’m dying to try this soup but need to limit my beef intake due to colitis. Also I see that some people use escarole instead of spinach. Thoughts?
Yes, Debi, you can use a combination of ground turkey and turkey sausage. And If you like escarole, it’s perfectly fine to use that instead of the spinach. Hope you enjoy!
Unbelievably yummy! Followed the recipe except I used homemade beef stock . Thanks for the great recipe.
What a simple and delicious recipe! This was so easy. To save little time, rather than roll the meatballs by hand, I used a small ice cream scoop which I use for scooping out cookie dough to shape the meatballs. This was a great time saver. I love your cookbook, please keep the recipes coming!
The whole family loved this soup! It was perfect for the cold evenings we’ve been having here in California. As always, I made your recipe exactly as written and as always, it came out delicious! Thanks Jenn!
The Italian Wedding Soup was a huge hit. Thanks ! It was terrific when it was made and even better ( if possible) the next day. My daughter took some to work for lunch and created a food fight. Lol
This was absolutely delicious. I made this for a Christmas gathering and my guests couldn’t get enough!
I first made this over a year ago and thought it was great, and have made it several times since. Just wanted to add that the soup part of the recipe makes a great base for a quick and easy chicken noodle soup when you don’t feel like making meatballs. Just added shredded chicken!
My kids picked this recipe out tonight after we started a New Year’s resolution to make more fresh cooked meals. Admittedly I am a fan of a canned version of Italian Meatball soup and I didn’t know what to expect with this homemade version. While my kids were a little turned off by the veggies in the soup they heartily ate the little meatballs and some of the pasta. I thought this soup was amazing. I will definitely make it again. As a side note there was no fresh spinach to be had so I used chopped frozen spinach and tossed it in about half way though the pasta portion to allow it to thaw out. It was great. Kudos Jen on yet another flavorful and easily executable recipe. Your website is my go-to for dinner inspiration.
Made it last week and my family loved it!! Easy to make and very delicious
Absolutely the best comfort soup! Wonderful flavors…easy to put together and easy to watch everone smile when eating this fabulous perfect soup! I could live on this!!!
This recipe doesn’t need another 5-star review, but it is absolutely delicious!!!
Hi Jenn, I am wondering if your recipe would work with rice as I have a gluten free eater in the family. Also, approximately, how many quarts does your recipe make? Thank you.
Yes, Pam, that should work (just keep in mind that if you have leftovers, the rice will soak up much of the broth). And I’d guesstimate that this would make about 3 – 3.5 quarts. Hope you enjoy!
Another winner from Jenn! This was the perfect fall meal. Great combination of flavors and the meatballs!! This will be my go to recipe for meatballs. I used the hot Italian sausage and it added the right amount of heat with all the flavors! Thank you again for another fabulous recipe!
Have you tried the soup without the wine? Just curious if it is a make it or break it with the soup.
Hi Lisa, It does add a lot of flavor but it will still be good without it. 🙂
Made this soup this past week and my 4 and 2 year old ate it all. Flavourful and perfect for this fall weather.
Hi Jenn! I love all your recipes! The recipe calls for 2 stalks of celery but I’m assuming 2 sticks of celery?
Yep – stalks and sticks are one and the same. 🙂 And glad you like the recipes!
Another Jenn winner!! Made exactly as suggested and soup was scrumptious. Soup was easy to make and flavor was sublime! Thanks so much for sharing yet another simple, tasty and family pleasing recipe!
I love Italian wedding soup!
Hi Jenn. Outstanding recipe! These meatballs are truly wonderful. Instead of baking them, I cooked them (in batches) in a pan as hubby prefers crispy. And, this is a great recipe for my family’s preferences: we prefer more veges rather than carbs so I added things I had in the fridge including snow peas, broccoli, zucchini and kale. Shhh…I had some frozen potstickers so I used those instead of pasta. It’s been a week since I made it and am being asked to make it again this weekend. THANK YOU for a great recipe!
I made this for work (it was my turn for soup Mondays). Everyone loved it! For my own personal taste, I may stick with a lower sodium broth as I thought it was just a tad too salty. Maybe because I added a parmesan rind to the broth while it was cooking (and removed it afterwards, of course).
Thank you for a great recipe! It will be one of my go-to favorites 🙂
Hi Jenn
WOWZER!!!! Another winning soup recipe. Absolutely loved it. The broth flavor was so rich and flavorful. Thanks for gifting us with another fabulous recipe.
On another note…I have a question for you. I want to buy a hand held immersion blender when I am making other soups that need this …such as your Chicken Tortilla Soup. I have been using my food processor but want the held device for simplicity.
Thanks!
Sara D
So glad you enjoyed it, Sara! I have a Cuisinart Smart Stick – it’s very inexpensive and works well enough, but some reviews criticize the safety lock feature. Cooks Illustrated recommends the Braun Multiquick 5 Handblender. 🙂
Very easy to make
I made this soup for my family and it was a huge hit! My sister begged me to send her home with some because she loved it so much. My boyfriend who doesn’t like vegetables even liked it. And I myself appreciated having an easy lunch to bring to work all week. From a cook’s perspective, it was an enjoyable meal to make. While at first making the mini meatballs was tedious, it soon became fun once I saw how cute they looks all lined up on a sheet ready to go in the oven.
I will mention the two adjustments I made: 1) I surprisingly preferred the soup with out the cheese on top, a strange revelation coming from a cheese lover and 2) I put in twice the recommended amount of noodles thinking the recommended amount wasn’t enough, and I was wrong haha. Should have listened to Jenn. It made too many noodles and soaked up a lot of the broth that would have otherwise yeilded more soup. Oops. Don’t do that.
Great recipe – I’ll certainly make it again.