Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
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Trust me, you’ll love this Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe!
We eat a lot of soup during soup season in our household! From Tomato Tortellini Soup and Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup to Crockpot Minestrone and Beef Stew, we love it all!
What is Italian Wedding Soup?
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. It’s a pretty simple soup, but made with quality ingredients makes all the difference!
Table Talk with Tawnie
Italian Wedding Soup has always been a favorite in my kitchen—there’s just something so comforting about a bowl of rich broth (I love this with my homemade chicken stock), tender meatballs, and delicate pasta. It’s actually such a simple recipe, but sometimes the basics hits home. It’s the kind of dish that feels like a warm hug, perfect when you just need a little extra coziness. (Which no matter the season, I’m always up for something cozy!)
This Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe is…
- A family favorite recipe
- Comforting and easy weeknight meal
- Can be made in the slow cooker/crockpot
- Perfect for soup season
- It can be prepped in advance (making meatballs, chopping vegetables, etc.).
Ingredients needed for wedding soup
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
- Ground pork and ground beef: I love using a mixture of both for the best flavor and texture. You can also use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
- Fresh White Bread: use bread to bind the meatballs or you can use Italian breadcrumbs.
- White onion: have you ever tried grating your onion on a box grater and adding into your meatballs? It’s a fun way to distribute the flavor without pieces of onion in each meatball.
- Cheese (Pecorino Romano/Parmigiano Reggiano) Adds a rich, nutty taste to the meatballs. Freshly grated works best!
- Chicken broth or stock: or vegetable broth. If you have homemade, use that!
- Greens: Escarole is traditional, but spinach, kale, endive or Swiss chard work well, too. Add at the end to keep them bright and tender.
- Acini di Pepe (or other small pasta): These tiny pasta pearls absorb the broth beautifully. Alternatives you can use: orzo, ditalini, or pastina
- Sage: fresh if you can!
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
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!
Make the meatball mixture
Combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
Roll em’ up!
Roll into tiny meatballs, about 3/4-inch, and set aside.
Saute the veg
Low and slow for about 15 minutes until their nice and softened, adding a splash of olive oil along the way as needed.
Add the broth & meatballs
You *can* cook the meatballs about 3/4 of the way cooked in a skillet with some olive oil before adding into the soup to add another layer of flavor, but with the meatballs so small, I usually just skip this added step and pop them straight into the soup to cook.
Add the greens & pasta, and serve!
Spoon the cooked pasta into a bowl followed by the soup, and finish with Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano on top and a drizzle of olive oil (optional). YUM!
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.
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Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 8 oz. pork, ground
- 8 oz. beef, ground
- 2 slices fresh white bread, crust trimmed, torn into pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
- 1/2 medium white onion, grated or finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire (or sub milk)
For the soup:
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. sage, fresh, chopped
- 10-12 cups chicken broth (homemade preferred but store bought is OK too)
- 2 cups cooked small pasta, such as acini di pepe or ditalini, or cook more pasta as desired (or 1 cup uncooked )
- 8 cups greens (baby spinach, endive, kale, or escarole)
- parmigiano reggiano for garnish and good quality olive oil (optional)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Mix the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine the bread, garlic, onion, parsley, cheese, salt, egg and Worcestershire. Once combined, then add in the ground pork and beef. Gently combine with clean hands or a spoon until thoroughly mixed.8 oz. pork, ground, 2 slices fresh white bread, crust trimmed, torn into pieces, 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.), 1/2 medium white onion, grated or finely chopped, 1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced, 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 large egg, 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire (or sub milk), 8 oz. beef, ground
- Roll into balls (and brown): Roll mixture into small, tiny meatballs, about 3/4-inch in size, use your hands or a small melon baller, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set aside. (Optional step: you can brown the meatballs in batches and avoid over crowding the pot for about 2 minutes in a large pot with a little olive oil. Cook about 3/4 of the way, they will finish cooking in the soup. Remove them from the pot and set aside and repeat process with remaining meatballs, adding a touch more olive oil as needed along the way).
- Saute the veggies: Add 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. Then add in garlic and sage and stir for ~1 minute until fragrant.2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 medium white onion, chopped, 3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped, 4 stalks celery, diced, salt and pepper to taste, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 Tbsp. sage, fresh, chopped
- Add broth: Add in the broth and bring to a boil. (Pro tip: add the rind of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese here!).10-12 cups chicken broth (homemade preferred but store bought is OK too)
- Add meatballs: 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). If adding in uncooked pasta into the soup, add 3/4 cup of it in this step).
- Add greens, garnish, and serve: Stir in the greens (I used baby spinach). Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt or pepper as desired. To serve, spoon cooked pasta into a bowl, followed by the soup, and finish with Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano and a drizzle of olive oil (optional).2 cups cooked small pasta, such as acini di pepe or ditalini, or cook more pasta as desired, 8 cups greens (baby spinach, endive, kale, or escarole), parmigiano reggiano for garnish and good quality olive oil (optional)
Video
Notes
- Using white bread for the meatball works well, but if you have a French loaf, you can grind it into breadcrumbs or just use Italian breadcrumbs.
- I always like to cook the small pasta on the side and add it into the bowls when serving so the pasta doesn’t soak up all of the yummy, savory broth.
- You can add it directly into the soup and let it cook and simmer for about 5 minutes. If adding uncooked pasta into the soup, add in 3/4 cup.
- If you have a parmigiano reggiano rind, add it in with the broth.
- Storage options:
- In the Refrigerator: lasts 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. Let the soup cool before refrigerating.
- In the Freezer: It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Store in a freezer-safe container, leaving space for expansion.Storage:
- ✅ For the best texture, store pasta separately if you plan to keep leftovers. Pasta can become mushy when sitting in broth for too long.
- ✅ Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or water if needed.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
This recipe was published originally in January 2021 and was updated with new photos Feb. 2025. 📸 Photos by Megan McKeehan of The Broke Girl Table
This soup was a definite win with the family. Made a couple of tweaks, added the juice of one fresh lemon to the broth for brightness. And used organic ground chicken in lieu of ground beef and pork, cooked in a pan with some olive oil to firm them up prior to putting in the soup. So yummy!
Love that you used ground chicken, sound so yummy! thank you Karin!
This was a miss for us. The meatballs were good, but there was way too much broth compared to everything else in the soup. My results looked nothing like the recipe picture because all you saw was broth in mine. I used 3/4 c uncooked orzo and cooked it separately and it wasn’t nearly enough. I should have cut the broth to 9 cups and at least doubled the pasta. I haven’t made Italian wedding soup before, so I’m not sure how long it takes, but this took 75 minutes. Two stars
Hi Trish! Thank you for making my recipe but I am so sorry it didn’t turn out as expected. I’ve taken your notes and made changes to the recipe card to help other readers.
This sounds perfect I love wedding soup ..Yours seems very simple I definitely will be making it ..but I prefer Italian bread crumbs how much should I use instead of the white bread ?
Hi Traci! Thank you! 1/2 cup would be just fine. I hope you love it! xo, Tawnie
i LOVE wedding soup – the little meatballs are the best!!! can’t wait to try
Yay! Thank you so much Heather I hope you love it! xo, Tawnie
This Bowl is surely a meal by itself. Super delicious combinations and presentation picture perfect. This Soup Bowl is a grab.
Thank you!
Yummy! My husband is going to love this recipe! Can’t wait to make this recipe soon!
I’m glad! Thank you so much Beth!
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!!