Meatball Wedding Soup: A Step-By-Step Guide To Making It Perfectly

Italian wedding soup is a hearty dish that combines tender meatballs, vegetables, and pasta in a savoury broth. Despite its name, it has nothing to do with weddings. The name comes from the Italian phrase minestra maritata, which means married soup, referring to the marriage of flavours in the soup. This soup is perfect as a starter or main course and can be served with a warm dinner roll.

Meatball ingredients and prep

Meatballs are a key component of Italian wedding soup. The traditional recipe calls for a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage, but you can also use ground chicken or turkey, or even plant-based alternatives. The meat is combined with breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese, and an egg to bind it all together.

• Ground beef or alternative (lean ground beef is recommended)
• Ground Italian sausage, chicken sausage, or alternative (optional)
• Fresh breadcrumbs (white or Italian-style)
• Fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, basil, or Italian seasoning)
• Grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Garlic (optional)

To prepare the meatballs:

• Combine all the ingredients (except the olive oil) in a large mixing bowl.
• Gently mix and break up the mixture with your hands to evenly coat and distribute the ingredients.
• Shape the mixture into small meatballs (about 3/4 inch to 1 inch in diameter). You should end up with around 40-50 meatballs, depending on their size.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the meatballs in batches and cook until browned, turning occasionally.
• Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
• Repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.

Note: The meatballs will not be fully cooked at this stage. They will continue cooking through once they are added to the soup.

You can also bake the meatballs in the oven as a healthier alternative to searing them in a skillet. To do this, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and an oven-proof roasting rack. Place the shaped meatballs on the rack and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Once your meatballs are ready, you can move on to the next step of making the soup!

Soup ingredients and prep

To make the soup base, you'll need a mix of vegetables, broth, and pasta.

For the vegetables, you'll need a mirepoix of onion, celery, and carrots, which will boost the flavor and nutrition of the soup. You can also add garlic to the mix for extra savory flavor.

For the broth, you can use chicken broth, beef broth, or a combination of both. If you want to add a touch of acidity to balance the richness of the broth, you can also add some dry white wine.

For the pasta, it's best to use a small variety such as acini de pepe, orzo, ditalini, tubetini, stars, or pearl couscous. This gives the soup a chewy texture and heartiness.

To prepare the soup, start by heating some olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté until they are softened. This should take around 5 to 8 minutes.

Next, add the broth and bring it to a boil. You can also add the white wine at this stage if you're using it. Once the broth is boiling, add the pasta and cook until it is al dente, which should take around 6 to 10 minutes.

At this point, you can taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Then, reduce the heat and add the meatballs (which should be prepared separately), along with the spinach or other leafy greens. Simmer the soup for a few minutes until the meatballs are warmed through and the spinach is wilted.

Finally, serve the soup with some grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Cooking the meatballs

Ingredients

• Ground beef
• Egg
• Breadcrumbs
• Parmesan cheese
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Olive oil

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and set an oven-proof roasting rack over the top. Spray the rack generously with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Add the ground beef and mix with your hands until everything is evenly combined.

Roll the mixture into small meatballs, about 3/4 inch to 1 inch in diameter. Place the meatballs on the prepared rack and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Alternatively, you can cook the meatballs in a skillet. Heat some olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in batches and cook until browned, turning occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels while you cook the remaining meatballs.

Note that the meatballs will not be fully cooked at this stage, as they will continue to cook through in the soup.

Cooking the soup

Now that you've got your meatballs ready, it's time to cook the soup!

First, heat some olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. You'll need about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is heated, add your diced onions, carrots, and celery. Cook this mixture, stirring frequently, for around 8 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.

Next, add your broth—chicken or beef, or a combination of both—and bring it to a boil. You'll need about 6-10 cups of broth, depending on how brothy you like your soup. At this point, you can also add some water and dry white wine if you're looking for a more complex flavor profile.

Once your broth is boiling, it's time to add the pasta. You'll want to use a small, chewy pasta like acini de pepe, orzo, ditalini, or pearl couscous. Cook the pasta at a gentle boil, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes, or until it's al dente.

While your pasta is cooking, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can also add a bay leaf at this point to infuse the soup with a subtle, earthy flavor.

Once the pasta is al dente, reduce the heat to low and add your meatballs. If you've baked your meatballs, make sure they're fully cooked before adding them to the soup. If you've seared your meatballs, they'll finish cooking in the soup.

Finally, add your greens. Fresh spinach is a popular choice, but you can also use kale, escarole, or Swiss chard. Stir the greens into the soup and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until they're wilted.

And that's it! Your Italian wedding soup is ready to be served. Ladle it into bowls and sprinkle each serving with grated Parmesan cheese.

Serving suggestions

Italian wedding soup is a hearty dish that works as a starter or a main course. It is a meal in itself, so you don't need to feel pressured to serve it with anything. However, if you want to bulk out the meal, a warm dinner roll is a good option.

For a full meal, you could serve the soup with a side of garlic bread and a Caesar salad.

If you want to stick with the Italian theme, you could serve the soup with a mixed greens salad with Italian dressing, or a crusty baguette. Shaved Parmesan or Parmesan cheese crisps would also be good toppings to add.

Frequently asked questions