It has been a very busy week and the cold is starting to set in. Both of those factors lead me to a really lovely, brothy soup this weekend. And Italian Wedding Soup has been on my mind ever since I picked up ground beef on my last Costco run. That beef has been sitting in the freezer, practically screaming, “Meatballs”
I love meatballs in so many ways! I love them with spaghetti, I love them in soup, and I love the Spanish-style meatballs (albondigas) cooked in tomato sauce and served over hot white rice. And the list really goes on!
But Italian Wedding Soup is a lovely thing with several wonderful things going for it:
- No Pre-Browning: Unlike when I make spaghetti and meatballs, you don’t have to brown the meatballs first. For this soup, it’s actually better to let them cook directly in the simmering broth. It gives them a wonderful, tender texture and saves a ton of time and mess!
- Quick Assembly: This soup comes together fairly quickly once you get the broth going.
- Kid-Friendly: tiny star-shaped pasta (stelline) are simply delightful and always a hit with my kids.
- Dairy-Free options: This is a great Italian dish to make for someone who is dairy-free because the meatballs can be made without the cheese, and cheese lovers can simply add Parmesan to their own bowl at the end.
Here’s what you’ll need to pull together for this warming soup:
From the Pantry: Olive oil, bread crumbs, tiny pasta (or orzo), onion, garlic, bay leaf, and Italian seasoning.
From the Fridge: Ground beef and ground pork (or just one kind), celery, carrot, one egg, Parmesan cheese, one bunch of kale, and fresh parsley.
Broth: You’ll also need broth (which I totally forgot to include in my picture!). This can be concentrate, store-bought stock, or homemade. Beef, chicken, pork, or any combination will work beautifully here. I’m out of homemade stock right now and used two cartons of store-bought chicken stock.
When it comes to actually cooking this soup, you want to build the flavor in layers.
First, we start with the soup base. Grab your big pot and heat up some olive oil—I love to toss in a bit of bacon fat here if I have it on hand for extra smoky richness, We’re going to sauté the chopped onions, carrots, and celery until they’re nice and soft, which takes about 6-8 minutes. Season them well with salt and pepper. Then stir in the garlic and bay leaf right before pouring in the broth. Bring that to a boil, then dial the heat way back to a gentle simmer.
While the broth is simmering, mix your ground meat with the egg, bread crumbs, parsley, seasoning, and any cheese you like. Just get in there with your hands and mix until everything is combined. Then, form them into small 1.5 to 2-inch balls and drop them directly into the simmering broth. This is key—they cook right in the broth, which keeps them incredibly tender. Let them simmer away for about 20-30 minutes until they’re fully cooked.
To finish, we add lots of lovely winter greens. Toss in the chopped kale and let it cook for about 10 minutes, then add your tiny star pasta (or orzo, gnocchi, or rice!) and cook it just until it’s tender.. And that’s it—a gorgeous, satisfying, homemade soup is ready!
Possible Substitutions and Notes
- Pasta: Any small pasta will work, but I recommend going as small as possible—maybe even orzo. I’ve even made this with gnocchi, and that’s good too!
- Gluten-Free: If you are GF, I can’t say enough good things about Jovial pastas. They are now carrying GF tiny star pastas at my local market, and we all love them.
- Grain-Free: Rice is another great substitute here!
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
Method
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil (and optional bacon fat) over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onions and sauté until they start to soften and brown.
- Add the chopped celery and carrots. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook for 6–8 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Stir in the chopped garlic and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Pour in the broth and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- While the broth is heating, prepare the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, bread crumbs, chopped parsley, onion (if using), Italian seasoning, and optional Parmesan cheese.
- Mix well with your hands until just combined (do not overmix).
- Once the broth is simmering, wet your hands and form the mixture into small meatballs, about 121 to 2 inches in diameter.
- Gently drop the meatballs into the simmering broth.
- Cook the meatballs for about 20-30 minutes, until their internal temperature reaches 200°F.
- Add the chopped kale and cook for another 10 minutes until wilted and tender.
- Add the tiny pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Serve hot with parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil