Italian Wedding Meatball Soup
Italian Wedding Meatball Soup is a comforting classic made with tender meatballs, leafy greens, and delicate pasta simmered in a savory broth. Light yet satisfying, it’s the perfect cozy bowl for weeknight dinners or special gatherings with loved ones!
Italian Wedding Soup
I had my first Italian Wedding Soup at a restaurant MANY years ago. It was SO good that I started searching for a good recipe for it. This was before the era of Pinterest and the large-scale blogging sites that exist today.
So this recipe is a combination of a couple of recipes I found at a bookstore and then several tweaks I’ve made along the way. I’ve been making it for years and it’s one of my favorite soups of ALL TIME.
I just get so dang excited when the temps cool under 80 (yes, crazy!) that I start making soups and stews and bread to dip in the soups. It’s just so exciting!
Why This Recipe Works:
- A LABOR OF LOVE – This soup recipe takes a little extra time to make but it’s worth it. Make this Italian favorite on the weekend and enjoy it all week long.
- FULL OF ITALIAN FLAVOR – We’ve got plenty of Italian flavoring and parmesan cheese (plus a rind!)
- CROWD PLEASER – I’ve made this for people who have had surgery and moms who’ve had babies and it’s always a hit. Plus our whole family are fans too!
- GREAT MEAL PREP – The leftover soup is even more delicious than the first day. So meal prep is perfection!
There is so much to love about Italian soups. Bookmark my Italian Minestrone Soup, Fire-Roasted Tomato Tortellini Soup, or Italian Chicken Tortellini Soup to try next!
Ingredients Notes:
- Ground Meat – A combo of any ground meat you prefer. I used turkey sausage and ground beef, but I often use any combo of turkey, beef, and pork.
- Eggs – Two eggs are needed in the meatballs.
- Bread Crumbs – Use Panko breadcrumbs for these meatballs.
- Parmesan Cheese – Make sure you freshly grate a wedge of parmesan cheese.
- Veggies – Chopped carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. You’ll add fresh spinach leaves at the very end of the cooking process.
- Broth – A combo of chicken and beef broth makes the tastiest base for this Italian Wedding Soup.
- Pasta – Use orzo pasta in this soup. You could also use another small pasta of your choice.
How to make Italian Wedding Meatball Soup:
Step 1
Form meatballs. In a bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients – the ground turkey and beef, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic, seasonings, and cold water. Use your hands to form between 44-50 mini meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.
Step 2
Chop veggies. Roughly chop the carrots, celery, and onion into relatively small pieces. Mince the garlic.
Step 3
Sauté veggies. Heat a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and then the carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Step 4
Add broth. Add the chicken and beef broth, the bay leaves, and parmesan rind – and bring mixture to a boil.
Step 5
Add meatballs and orzo pasta. Add the mini meatballs, orzo pasta, bay leaves, additional salt and pepper – and reduce heat to a rolling simmer. Cook until the meatballs are cooked through and the orzo is al dente (stirring frequently), approximately 10-12 minutes or so.
Step 6
Add spinach. Turn the heat off and add the spinach. Stir well and let the spinach wilt. Test seasonings.
Step 7
Serve. Serve the soup with some freshly shaved parmesan cheese and some crusty bread (or cheesy garlic bread).
Storing and Freezing:
- Store leftover Italian Wedding Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also store in meal prep containers to prep for quick lunches on the go!
- This soup doesn’t freeze well due to the spinach. But you can freeze the meatballs in advance which makes weeknight dinners quick.
Recipe Tips:
- Make up a bunch of mini meatballs and freeze them for when you make this recipe or for meatball subs. It’s a super quick meal to make when the meatballs are ready to go.
- If you like a thicker soup, use more orzo pasta. If you like more broth, use less pasta.
- The meatballs cook perfectly right in the soup. But you could also bake them in the oven instead, and then add them afterward.
- You could also brown the meatballs and then add them to the stock pot.
- Remove those prickly stems from the baby spinach before you add them!
- The broth combo of beef and chicken makes this super tasty. But you could use all of one if so desired, or even vegetable broth.
- I don’t recommend freezing this soup because the spinach will get weird. But you could freeze the meatballs!
Prep-in-advance suggestions:
- Make the meatballs and store them in the refrigerator.
- Chop up all the veggies in advance, and remove the stems from the spinach.
- Place all pantry items out on the counter ready to go – the orzo pasta, broths, and spices.
If you prep in advance, you can easily make this Italian wedding soup on a weeknight.
Origins of Italian Wedding Soup
Many people believe that Italian Wedding Soup was served to a bride and groom at their wedding – to give them extra strength and vigor to get them through their wedding night. (Hmmm…)
Not true. The meaning has to do with the “marriage” of the meat and the vegetables in the soup. One ingredient is very different from the other, but they go well together. (Kind of like most couples I know!)
And there you have it. The true meaning of Italian Wedding Soup. Now we can all go forward in peace and prosperity. 😀
Best Bread for Italian Wedding Soup
Bread and soup are an absolute MUST! I love keeping the following breads in the freezer for all the soups!
Kitchen Tools Used: (Affiliate Links)
xoxo ~Sue
Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
For the mini meatballs: (approximately 44-50 mini meatballs)
- 1 pound ground turkey – or turkey sausage
- 1 pound lean ground beef – or use pork sausage
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 1/4 cup cold water
For the soup:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large carrots – peeled and diced
- 4 stalks celery – diced
- 1 large onion – diced
- 3 whole garlic cloves – minced
- 5-6 cups lower-sodium chicken broth – or more
- 5-6 cups lower-sodium beef broth – or more
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 parmesan rind – optional
- 1 1/2 cups dried orzo pasta – use less if you like a thinner soup
- 4 cups fresh spinach – stems removed
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- Parmesan cheese – for serving
Instructions
For the meatballs:
- Form meatballs. In a bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients – the ground turkey and beef, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic, seasonings, and cold water. Use your hands to form between 44-50 mini meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.1 pound lean ground beef, 1 pound ground turkey, 2 large eggs, 2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning, kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 cup cold water
- Refrigerate meatballs until ready to add to soup. (You can also freeze these meatballs ahead of time.)
For the soup:
- Chop veggies. Roughly chop the carrots, celery, and onion into relatively small pieces. Mince the garlic.
- Sauté veggies. Heat a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and then the carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté until slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic (plus salt and pepper to taste) and cook for another 30 seconds. 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 4 large carrots, 4 stalks celery, 1 large onion, kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, 3 whole garlic cloves
- Add broth. Add the chicken broth and beef broth, the bay leaves, and parmesan rind – and bring mixture to a boil.5-6 cups lower-sodium chicken broth, 5-6 cups lower-sodium beef broth, 2 bay leaves, 1 parmesan rind
- Add meatballs and orzo pasta. Add the mini meatballs, orzo pasta, bay leaves, additional salt and pepper – and reduce heat to a rolling simmer. Cook until the meatballs are cooked through and the orzo is al dente (stirring frequently), approximately 10-12 minutes or so.1 1/2 cups dried orzo pasta
- Add spinach. Turn the heat off and add the spinach. Stir well and let the spinach wilt. Test seasonings and add more as needed.4 cups fresh spinach
- Serve. Serve the soup with some freshly shaved parmesan cheese and some crusty bread (or cheesy garlic bread).4 cups fresh spinach, Parmesan cheese
Notes
- Store leftover Italian Wedding Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also store in meal prep containers to prep for quick lunches on the go!
- This soup doesn’t freeze well due to the spinach. But you can freeze the meatballs in advance which makes weeknight dinners quick,
- The orzo pasta will continue to plump up as it sits. You may need to add more broth to the leftovers.
This is a meal in itself but of course soup is always one of my favorite go to meals. I love all the good veggies which I really beef up and the meatballs are so tender and delicious.
Love to hear this Shari!
This soup was a big hit at my house, including guests. Directions are easy to follow and it’s a pretty simple and satisfying meal.I served it with a caesar salad and crusty bread. Yum! We’ll be making it again soon!
Yay! It’s one of our favorites too, Jackie!
I love soup season and this recipe did not disappoint! It was packed with flavor and will definitely be added into our regular rotation. Thanks, Sue!
So glad to hear this, Stephani! Mwah!
Delicious my toddler grandson can’t get enough of the meatballs.
Hi Veronica! Thanks for your feedback. We love this soup too! 🙂
This is the best soup! Preparation for me took just a little bit longer but the outcome was well worth it! I used 1 1/2 cups orzo just perfect
Oh I love hearing this Cari! It’s one of our favorites too!
I made your Italian Wedding Soup with leftover turkey thrown in from our Christmas dinner, along with the meatballs…and the family loved it! Thank you, Sue, for sharing all of your delish recipes! <3
Hi Diane! I’m so happy you enjoyed the soup. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
I love this soup! One of the best soups ever!
Absolutely love this soup! I prepared the meatballs and soup on a Sunday minus the pasta and spinach. When I came home from work on Monday all I had to do was add the orzo pasta and spinach and my dinner was on the table within 30 minutes! Great recipe for a working mom and the meatballs were fabulous 🙂 It’s a keeper – thank you Sue.
Thank you Vicki! You are the best!
Love this! I had to laugh when I read this because I love soup, and can’t wait for the temp to go down so I can make soups for dinner. But the men in my family are not convinced soup is a meal!
Can’t wait to try the recipe.
Men are all the same. Haha! I hope you enjoy:)