Hearty Italian Wedding Soup: A Vegetarian's Delight

Italian wedding soup is a hearty, comforting dish that combines tender meatballs, fresh vegetables, and tiny pasta in a savoury broth. The name comes from the Italian phrase minestra maritata, which means married soup, referring to the harmonious blend of flavours. While the traditional recipe can be time-consuming, there are ways to simplify the process and create a delicious vegetarian version.

Preparing the vegetables

Chopping the Veggies:

• Start by gathering your vegetables: onions, carrots, celery, and garlic are the classic choices. You can also add other veggies like fennel or shallots for a unique twist.
• Using a sharp chef's knife, dice the onions, carrots, and celery into small, uniform pieces. The size of the pieces will depend on your preference, but aim for a fine dice to ensure they cook evenly.
• For the garlic, you can either mince it or press it. Mincing will give you small, uniform pieces, while pressing will create a more intense garlic flavour.

Sautéing the Veggies:

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a generous amount of olive oil over medium heat. You want enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
• Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. Stir them around to coat them in the oil and let them cook. You want them to soften and become translucent, which should take around 8-10 minutes.
• Now, add the garlic to the pot. Garlic burns easily, so keep an eye on it and stir frequently. You'll know it's ready when it becomes very fragrant and lightly browned, which should only take about a minute.
• At this point, you can also add some dried herbs like thyme, oregano, or Italian seasoning to the pot. This will give your soup an extra boost of flavour.

Building Flavour:

• With your veggies nicely softened, it's time to add some liquid to build flavour. Pour in some vegetable broth—around 7-8 cups should do it. You can also use a combination of chicken or beef broth for a more savoury taste.
• To add a touch of acidity, pour in about 1/2 cup of dry white wine. This is optional, but it will give your soup a nice depth of flavour. Let the wine simmer for a few minutes until it reduces by half.
• Bring the entire mixture to a boil. This will help intensify the flavours and create a rich base for your soup.

Cooking the Pasta:

• Now it's time to add your chosen pasta. Orzo, acini de pepe, and ditalini are popular choices for Italian wedding soup, but you can use any small pasta shape you like.
• Stir the pasta into the boiling broth and let it cook according to the package instructions. Keep in mind that pasta tends to take a bit longer to cook in soup than in plain water.
• When the pasta is almost done, add in your greens. Spinach, kale, or escarole work well. Add them in batches if necessary, and stir them into the soup until they wilt and soften.

Final Touches:

• Once your pasta and greens are cooked, it's time to season your soup. Taste it and adjust the salt and pepper to your preference. You can also add other seasonings like red pepper flakes or Italian herb blends to boost the flavour.
• Remove the pot from the heat and you're almost ready to serve! Ladle the soup into bowls, adding a few vegan meatballs to each serving.
• Top each bowl with some freshly grated vegan Parmesan cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, or chopped fresh parsley for a bright, fresh touch.

Making the meatballs

The first step in making the meatballs is gathering your ingredients. The ingredients for the meatballs vary depending on the recipe, but they typically include plant-based ground beef, plant-based sausage, breadcrumbs, and spices such as garlic powder, parsley, and black pepper. Some recipes also call for eggs or plant milk to help bind the mixture.

Once you have your ingredients, combine them in a mixing bowl and mix until they are thoroughly combined. This can be done by hand or with a fork. The mixture should be moist but not too wet, as this will affect the shape and texture of the meatballs.

After the mixture is combined, it's time to form the meatballs. Use a tablespoon to scoop out a portion of the mixture and roll it into a ball with your hands. The size of the meatballs may vary depending on the recipe and your preference, but they are typically small, about 1-2 inches in diameter or a tablespoon in size.

Place the formed meatballs on a plate or baking sheet. If baking the meatballs, brush or spray them with oil and bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, until they are browned. Alternatively, you can sear or cook the meatballs in a pan over medium heat until they are evenly browned on all sides, which should take about 5-10 minutes.

Once the meatballs are cooked, set them aside while you prepare the rest of the soup. It is important to note that plant-based meatballs can become soggy when added directly to the soup, so they are typically added towards the end of the cooking process or served on the side.

Cooking the soup

First, prepare your meatballs. If you're making your own, combine your plant-based meat, garlic powder, vegan parmesan, breadcrumbs, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. If the mixture seems dry, add a splash of plant milk. Roll the mixture into small balls, about a tablespoon each, and sear in a non-stick skillet for around 5-7 minutes, until evenly browned.

If you're using store-bought meatballs, simply cook according to the package instructions.

Now, heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add your diced onions, sliced carrots, and diced fennel or celery. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Then, add the minced garlic and cook for a further minute.

Next, add your dried thyme, oregano, and white wine. Bring the wine to a simmer and let it cook for a few minutes, reducing the liquid by half.

Add your vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat and let the broth simmer for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the pasta and continue to simmer until the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the spinach (or kale) and let the soup continue to simmer until the spinach has wilted.

Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and add a few meatballs to each. Top with some vegan parmesan cheese and serve.

Enjoy your vegetarian Italian wedding soup!

Adding the meatballs and pasta

Now that you've sautéed your vegetables, it's time to add the meatballs and pasta to your Italian wedding soup.

For this recipe, you can either make your own vegetarian meatballs or buy some from the store. If you're making your own, you'll typically need to combine plant-based beef and sausage with garlic powder, vegan Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and black pepper. Then, roll the mixture into small balls and sear them in a skillet before adding them to the soup.

If you're using store-bought meatballs, cook them according to the package instructions before adding them to the soup.

Once your meatballs are ready, it's time to add them to the pot, along with the pasta. You can use any small pasta shape, such as orzo, acini di pepe, ditalini, or stelline. Stir the pasta into the soup and let it simmer until it's al dente, which usually takes around 10 minutes.

At this point, you'll also want to add in your greens, such as spinach, kale, or escarole, and let them wilt.

Finally, taste your soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. Your vegetarian Italian wedding soup is now ready to be served!

Serving and storing

When serving, place a few meatballs in each bowl and ladle the soup over them. You can top each bowl with some grated or shaved vegan Parmesan cheese.

If you have any leftovers, it is recommended to store the soup and meatballs separately to prevent the meatballs from going soggy and falling apart. Place the soup and meatballs in separate airtight containers and store them in the fridge for up to four days, or in the freezer for up to three months.

To reheat the soup, simply defrost and warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat. If you froze the soup without pasta, add some in when reheating and cook until tender. If you froze the soup with pasta, you may need to add more water or broth as the pasta expands over time.

If you froze the meatballs separately, bake or air-fry them before adding them to the reheated soup.

Frequently asked questions