Italian Wedding Soup (2024)

Classic Italian Wedding Soup is made with delicious pork and beef bite-sized meatballs, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, spinach, and pasta in a deliciously seasoned broth. The name wedding soup comes from theItalian phraseminestra maritata,which meansmarried soup, not as inweddingnuptials andbells but in the marriage of deliciousflavorsandtastesthat complement each other.

Why is it called Italian Wedding Soup?

Unfortunately, this classic Italian Soup has nothing to do with weddings. It wasn’t named after the marriage of two people but named after the heavenly marriage between meat and vegetables. I know it is a bit of a letdown, as you were probably thinking this Soup has got to have a great story behind it and a bunch of symbolism. Nope, just terrific-tasting Soup that they probably should serve at weddings.

How do you make Italian Wedding Soup?

First, combine the ground beef, pork, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, herbs, and spices. Roll the mixture into small meatballs and cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Don’t worry if they are not fully cooked. Those sweet babies will finish cooking in the soup. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and plate.

Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the same skillet and cook until softened. Add the garlic and herbs and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Move the cooked vegetables to a large Dutch oven or large pot. Add the chicken broth and bring the Soup to a low boil. Add the pasta and cooked meatballs. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir in the spinach at the last minute of cooking. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.

If you own a Dutch oven, the whole thing can be prepared from start to finish. They are great for browning meat. However, I would drain any excess grease before adding the chicken broth.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

• You can substituteground turkey, ground pork,ground beef, or Italian sausage.
• For optimal taste, brown the meatballs before adding them to the soup. Browning adds great flavor that spreads throughout the whole pot. It also lends a better texture than a boiled meatball.
• Use dried or fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, and rosemary.
• Feel free to substitute escarole, kale, or endivefor thespinach. They all work well in this soup recipe.
• Orzo or ditalani can be substituted for the acini de pepe pasta.
• Store leftovers in anairtight containerin the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat leftovers on the stove over low heat or in the microwaveat reduced power.
• Freeze for up to 3 months. See below for more on freezing this soup.

How to freeze this Soup

To freeze this soup, first, cool the soup thoroughly. Ladle the fully-cooled soup into quart or gallon-sized heavy-duty freezer zipper bags. Mark the bags with the date and the contents. Lay the soup bags in a single layer on cookie sheets and place them in the freezer. Once fully frozen, stack the bags up in the freezer to save on space. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat on the stovetop on low or in the microwave at 60% power so as not to overcook any ingredients before it is hot.

Other soup recipes you will love!

On the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf