Let me introduce you to our favorite Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe. This recipe is based off of the wedding soup my Mother made for us growing up and it’s a family favorite dinner! Be sure to watch the recipe video too!
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You’re going to fall in love with this Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe, trust me! 🌟
Italian Wedding Soup consists of green vegetables and a meat (usually meatballs or sausage). It’s quite popular in the United States but is it a staple in Italy.
This post was sponsored by Ajinomoto in 2019. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Kroll’s Korner running!
Can be prepped in advance (making meatballs, chopping vegetables, etc.)
Ingredients needed for wedding
soup
For the meatballs:
Ground pork
Ground beef
MSG (or salt)
Fresh White Bread
Garlic
White onion
Parsley
Cheese (Pecorino Romano and Parmesan)
Egg
Milk
Pepper
For the soup:
Chicken broth
Greens (baby spinach, endive, kale)
Olive oil
Carrots
Yellow Onion
Orzo or Acini di Pepe
Garlic
Sage
MSG or salt
So, what is MSG anyways?
MSG stands for monosodium glutamate. It’s a seasoning and ingredient that is the purest form of umami. MSG combines sodium (like that in table salt) with glutamate, which is the most abundant amino acid in nature and one of 20 that make up protein! (Not so scary, right?)
Is MSG safe for me to consume?
YES, MSG is safe to consume. Over the past 30 years, scientists, regulatory agencies and public health organizations have verified MSG’s safety.
Why did MSG get a negative reputation?
It all started back in 1968 with a letter to the editor of a prestigious medical journal that described the author’s anecdotal account of generalized weakness, palpitations and numbness in the arms after eating at a Chinese restaurant.
He noted that any number of ingredients may have caused his symptoms – sodium, alcohol from the cooking wine, MSG. However, the letter spawned the idea that MSG may be associated with such symptoms, which was coined “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.”
And that’s how the bad rap of MSG began…
But let’s be clear. MSG is NOT an allergen!
Some people identify themselves as sensitive to MSG, however reactions have not been consistently demonstrated in double-blind, placebo-controlled human trials.
To learn more about MSG safety you can visit this link here!
Why use MSG in cooking?
For sodium reduction! One part MSG to two parts table salt gives foods a flavor boost while decreasing sodium by 25 percent, compared to salt!
It brings out the deliciousness of food: it adds dimension to the flavors. In fact, just one half teaspoon can enhance the flavor of a pound of meat, or 4-6 servings of vegetables, casseroles or soup all while decreasing the need for salt.
Some studies have shown that it is possible to maintain food palatability with a lowered overall sodium level in a food when MSG is substituted for some of the salt.
Palatability of plant-based foods: MSG can be used to build savory, rounded flavors that enhance plant-based dishes.
Because it’s safe to consume!
How to make this Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
Wedding soup is actually really easy to make. This soup may look complex or complicated, but trust me it’s a soup anyone can make. Promise!
My favorite combination for the meatballs is ground pork and ground beef but you can use ground chicken or chicken sausage if desired.
Step 1: Prepare the meatballs. Recipe will make ~35 small meatballs.
Step 2: Cook onions, celery and carrots in olive oil until onions are translucent. Then add in garlic and sage, and stir for 1 minute. Add in broth. Bring to a boil.
Step 3: Then add in meatballs. Once they float to the top they will most likely be done.
Step 4: Stir in the greens ( I used baby spinach). Spoon cooked orzo into bowl, followed by a ladle of the soup and finish with Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano and serve.
Can I make Italian Wedding Soup
in the Slow Cooker?
Yes! (One of my favorite ways when I have errands to run!)
In a slow cooker, add in the broth, onions, celery, carrots, sage, salt and garlic. Cook on high for 4 hours.
Make your meatballs and cook
them in the oven at 400° F for 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Blot them
with paper towels and then add into the soup.
Once you are about 20 minutes
out from eating dinner, add in the pasta and greens. Serve warm!
What to eat with Italian Wedding Soup?
Salad or bread are some of our favorites to enjoy with wedding soup.
This Italian Wedding Soup Recipe is made with homemade meatballs and full of flavor from vegetables and simple seasonings. It's so cozy and comforting!
8cupsgreens (baby spinach, endive, kale, or escarole)
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the bread, garlic, onion, parsley, cheese, MSG, egg and Worcestershire. Once combined, then add in the ground pork and beef. Gently combine with clean hands or a spoon until thoroughly mixed.
Roll mixture into small meatballs using your hands or a cookie scoop and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Recipe will make ~35 small meatballs. Set aside.
Add the olive oil to a large soup pot along with the onions, celery carrots, salt & pepper and sweat over low heat for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Do not brown them.
Then add in garlic and sage and stir for ~1 minute.
Add in the broth and bring to a boil.
Then add in the meatballs. Once they float to the top they will most likely be done. Be sure to check internal temperature with a meat thermometer (Beef and pork should reach 145°F).
Stir in the greens (I used baby spinach).
To serve, spoon cooked orzo into a bowl followed by the soup and finish with grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano on top
Video
Notes
Feel free to use different greens such as kale or endive. Baby spinach remains my personal favorite.For the bread, using white bread is typically easiest but if you have a French loaf on hand you can grind into breadcrumbs that works well too.I always like to cook the orzo or small pasta of choice on the side and add it into the bowls when serving so the pasta doesn’t soak up all of the broth.
Welcome to my tiny “korner” on the Internet! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves cookies as much as kale. (OK, maybe I like cookies a little bit more but shh, don’t tell anyone). I am so glad you’re here! Follow along for hassle free, realistic and approachable recipes.
Tawnie, could you fix the ingredients and directions? Sage isn’t mentioned as an ingredient but then is used. And it looks like onion and garlic should be in meatballs but then is used in soup.
Aghhhh. Love following you but the love for MSG is killing me. I myself am allergic to it 100%. I suffer from chronic migraines. Not headaches- migraines. Stay in bed all day, sensitive to light/sound and often throw up. I’ve found that I have to be extremely careful with what I eat and often times if I eat anything w/MSG on accident this sends me into a migraine spiral.
Killing me that it’s making a come back for what I’m assuming are sponsored posts. Love your content but I’d just recommend doing some more research on it before getting behind it 100% & saying that it is not an allergen.
Hi Kate! I am so sorry you have to experience those symptoms. I would never want to discount your personal experience (or anybody’s!). If you feel the need to avoid MSG, please do so! This would mean that you would also need to avoid foods like tomatoes and aged cheeses, which contain inherent MSG. If you’re fine with those, it’s probably not the MSG that’s giving you a migraine. And while this is a sponsored post, the information is based on research and opinions are 100% my own! Thank you so much for being a fan of my content, I truly appreciate your option and taking time to comment. Feel free to email me if you’d like to talk more about this, I’d be happy to continue the discussion! [email protected]
Hi Ellen – I totally get it. Living in the Central Valley it stays warm here for quite a while. But, we have been getting cooler mornings and nights so that gets me excited!! Thank you for stopping by, I hope you love this one! xo
I haven’t used MSG in cooking but definitely need to. Thanks for breaking down the science & showing MSG isn’t scary at all. BTW this Italian wedding soup looks delicious! I’ll definitely be making it this soup season
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My daughter loves any recipe that calls for MSG! I am certainly going to to give this recipe a shot, but with a vegetarian twist!
Wonderful, thank you so much!
This is my all-time favourite soup. And love that you made the meatballs bigger-the better 🙂
Thank you so much! 🙂 You can totally make them smaller too!
Tawnie, could you fix the ingredients and directions? Sage isn’t mentioned as an ingredient but then is used. And it looks like onion and garlic should be in meatballs but then is used in soup.
Hi Lori,
My sincere apologies. The post has been updated! I hope you love this recipe!
The soup was delicious. Love your blog and recipes!
Thank you so much!!
I love adding Orzo to soup- this sounds SO good. Now that the weather is finally cooling down, I’m adding this to our dinner rotation!
Thank you Emily – I hope you love it!!
Aghhhh. Love following you but the love for MSG is killing me. I myself am allergic to it 100%. I suffer from chronic migraines. Not headaches- migraines. Stay in bed all day, sensitive to light/sound and often throw up. I’ve found that I have to be extremely careful with what I eat and often times if I eat anything w/MSG on accident this sends me into a migraine spiral.
Killing me that it’s making a come back for what I’m assuming are sponsored posts. Love your content but I’d just recommend doing some more research on it before getting behind it 100% & saying that it is not an allergen.
Hi Kate! I am so sorry you have to experience those symptoms. I would never want to discount your personal experience (or anybody’s!). If you feel the need to avoid MSG, please do so! This would mean that you would also need to avoid foods like tomatoes and aged cheeses, which contain inherent MSG. If you’re fine with those, it’s probably not the MSG that’s giving you a migraine. And while this is a sponsored post, the information is based on research and opinions are 100% my own! Thank you so much for being a fan of my content, I truly appreciate your option and taking time to comment. Feel free to email me if you’d like to talk more about this, I’d be happy to continue the discussion! [email protected]
I have never tried Italian wedding soup. It’s looks like a flavorful and comforting soup for these cool autumn days.
What a hearty soup! This is everything a gourmet dish should be, and then some! Excited to have this for dinner tonight!
It won’t be soup weather for a while but when it is I’ll definitely making this one! Such a hearty soup for lunch.
Hi Ellen – I totally get it. Living in the Central Valley it stays warm here for quite a while. But, we have been getting cooler mornings and nights so that gets me excited!! Thank you for stopping by, I hope you love this one! xo
I wasn’t aware of the history of MSG – thank you for sharing!
Hi Sepana, you are so welcome. I am glad you learned something new! 🙂 xo
I haven’t used MSG in cooking but definitely need to. Thanks for breaking down the science & showing MSG isn’t scary at all. BTW this Italian wedding soup looks delicious! I’ll definitely be making it this soup season
Hi Rebecca! Thank you so much! I hope you pick up MSG in the store soon to experiment with it! xo