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This delicious Italian wedding soup recipe features homemade meatballs, hearty pasta and the most flavorful garlic-herb broth.
Is there anything cozier than a warm bowl of Italian wedding soup?
This classic dish is the perfect blend of hearty and wholesome ingredients, featuring tender homemade meatballs and delicate pasta simmered in a rich garlicky broth infused with herbs. I love adding some pancetta (or bacon) too for an extra layer of smoky, savory flavor that makes every spoonful irresistible. And of course, when finished with a generous shower of freshly-grated Parmesan and served with crusty bread for dipping, this soup absolutely heavenly. Comfort food at its finest!
Fun fact — Italian minestra maritata isn’t actually served at weddings! Its name just refers to the “marriage” of delicious flavors in this delicious, nourishing soup. The traditional recipe has evolved over generations, especially here in the States, where tiny meatballs have become the signature Italian-American choice for protein. I highly recommend making the simple homemade meatballs included in the recipe below, which so flavorful and worth the effort. But if you’re short on time, just grab a package of your favorite frozen meatballs and you’ll be good to go!
However you make this soup, it’s guaranteed to warm you up on a chilly day. Let’s make a batch!
Italian Wedding Soup Ingredients
Here are a few brief notes about the Italian wedding soup ingredients that you will need to make this recipe:
Meatballs: These simple homemade meatballs are made with a mix of Italian sausage (hot, mild or sweet), Panko breadcrumbs and milk (this mix helps keep the meatballs tender and juicy), egg (to bind everything together), garlic, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper (all for seasoning). We will also use olive oil to brown the meatballs.
Pancetta or bacon: Pancetta (or bacon) is one of my favorite tricks to add the most delicious extra layers of smoky, savory flavor to this soup. I recommend crisping the pancetta up first, then using some of the leftover grease to sauté the veggies.
Veggies: We’ll use the classic mirepoix mix (diced onion, carrots, and celery) to serve as the foundation for our broth, plus plenty of garlic for extra savory flavor.
Spinach: Fresh baby spinach gets wilted into the soup just before serving in order to retain its vibrant green color and tender texture, adding an extra hint of earthy flavor and extra nutrients to the soup.
Chicken stock: I recommend a good-quality chicken stock to form the backbone for this soup, adding in layers of savory, well-balanced flavors. If you would like to increase the protein content of the soup, you’re welcome to sub in chicken bone broth instead.
Pasta: Tiny little balls of acini de pepe (or pearl couscous) are the traditional option for this soup, but feel free to use whatever small pasta shape that you have on hand. Tiny shells, orzo or ditalini would also work well here.
Seasonings: We’ll use a simple mix of bay leaf, Italian seasoning, fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to season the soup, adding in extra savory, herbal flavor.
Parmesan: Finally, I highly recommend serving the soup with a generous shower of freshly-grated Parmesan to add a pop of cheesy, umami flavor to each bite. If you happen to have an extra Parmesan rind on hand, you can also simmer that with the broth for extra Parm flavor!
Recipe Tips
Detailed instructions are included in the recipe below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind too:
Don’t over-mix the meatballs. Try to avoid overworking the meatball mixture and gently mix the ingredients until they are *just* combined. This will help them stay nice and tender instead of becoming dense and tough.
Size the meatballs however you prefer. Everyone seems to have different preferences when it comes to the size of meatballs for this soup, so feel free to shape yours as small or large as you prefer (adjusting the cooking time accordingly).
Use a scoop (or a kitchen scale) to make uniformly-sized meatballs. I love using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to form the meatballs and make them uniformly-sized so that they cook evenly. Or you can also weigh them using a kitchen scale if you prefer. Or…just eyeball them. ;)
Add extra broth to the leftovers if needed. Pasta will always soak up more broth (and get a bit mushy) the longer it sits. So if you end up saving any of the soup for leftovers, you may need to add a bit more broth when you heat it back up.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few delicious variations that you’re welcome to try with this Italian wedding soup recipe:
Use store-bought meatballs: If you’d like to save time, you can just swap in your favorite store-bought meatballs.
Use a different protein for the homemade meatballs: Feel free to use ground beef, turkey, pork or chicken in place of the Italian sausage, if you prefer. Or you can also sub in your favorite plant-based protein (or use pre-made vegetarian meatballs).
Add extra veggies: Add in your favorite soup-friendly diced veggies, such as bell peppers, mushrooms or zucchini. You could also add in a can of fire-roasted tomatoes if you’d like.
Add lemon: Add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end to brighten things up.
Add cream: Add a splash of heavy cream to make the soup rich and creamy.
Add pesto: Add a swirl of basil pesto to each serving bowl.
More Cozy Soup Recipes To Try
Looking for more comforting soup recipes to enjoy? Here are a few of our favorites:
Make the meatballs.In a large mixing bowl, stir together the panko and milk until combined. Add the ground sausage, garlic, egg, Parmesan, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
Cook the meatballs.Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, carefully flipping the meatballs with tongs once the bottom layer is seared and browned. Continue cooking, gently stirring the meatballs as needed, until they are just barely cooked through. Transfer the meatballs to a clean plate and set aside.
Cook the pancetta.Add the pancetta to the stockpot and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pancetta to the plate with the meatballs, leaving the grease behind.
Sauté the veggies.Add the onion, carrots and celery to the stockpot and sauté in the pancetta grease, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 additional minute, stirring frequently.
Simmer.Add the chicken stock, acini de pepe, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, cooked pancetta and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the pasta is al dente. Add the spinach and cooked meatballs to the soup and gently stir to combine until the spinach has wilted.
Season.Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper, as needed.
Serve.Serve warm, garnished with lots of Parmesan, and enjoy!
This has been my “go to” soup forever. Next time I make it I’ll try a splash of cream as suggested. When we used to go camping in the High Sierras for 7-10 days every August, I always made it for everyone, about 15 – 20 of us. It was far better than the constant BBQs and we all looked forward to it, particularly on cold days. I do take a few shortcuts now and buy the frozen tiny meatballs.
This has been my “go to” soup forever. Next time I make it I’ll try a splash of cream as suggested. When we used to go camping in the High Sierras for 7-10 days every August, I always made it for everyone, about 15 – 20 of us. It was far better than the constant BBQs and we all looked forward to it, particularly on cold days. I do take a few shortcuts now and buy the frozen tiny meatballs.
I am trying to made this, but I can add some extra onion and carrot. it’s taste so yummy. you can try this.