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Italian Wedding Soup with Mini Meatballs in a nutritious broth full of spinach and pasta.

Italian Wedding Soup with Mini Meatballs

A cozy, filling Italian wedding soup featuring mini meatballs, greens, and small pasta, perfect for chilly evenings.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Mini Meatballs
  • 1 lb ground meat (chicken, turkey, or beef) Ground chicken or turkey is preferred for a lighter option.
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs Plain or Italian style.
  • 1 large egg To help bind the meatball mixture.
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated Plus extra for serving.
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced Add towards the end of cooking.
  • 1 tsp salt Adjust to taste.
  • 1/2 tsp pepper Adjust to taste.
For the Soup Base
  • 1 tbsp olive oil For browning the meatballs and sautéing the onion.
  • 1 medium onion, chopped Cook until soft.
  • 8 cups low sodium chicken broth Control the sodium level.
  • 1 cup small pasta (e.g., acini di pepe, ditalini, or orzo) Cook it in the soup or separately for leftovers.
  • 4 cups greens (spinach or escarole, chopped) Add at the end to wilt.
Seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning For added flavor.
  • 1 lemon optional, for squeezing over before serving Brightens the flavors.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a bowl, mix ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Roll into small, bite-sized balls.
  2. In a pot, lightly brown meatballs in a little oil, about 3-5 minutes. They don't need to be fully cooked yet.
  3. In the same pot, add oil if needed and sauté chopped onion until soft. Add garlic for the last 30 seconds to avoid burning.
Cooking
  1. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the browned meatballs and cook for 8-10 minutes.
  2. Cook the small pasta in the soup or separately.
  3. Stir in the greens and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes.
Serving
  1. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, topped with extra Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon if desired.

Notes

Store leftovers with pasta and broth separate to maintain texture. The soup is even better the next day.