There are few canned soups that I could call my favorite. Most canned soups leave me feeling hungry and have a certain processed taste to them. But of all of the grocery store options I'd always go for Italian Wedding Soup. And after so many times I got to the point where I had to ask myself, how come I haven't just tried making this myself. And so I did.
This soup has homemade meatballs, spinach, a savory broth and just for fun star pasta. I top my soup with fresh grated parmesan and serve it hot!
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my Ham and Potato Soup, my Classic Turkey and Rice Soup or even my Best Beef and Barley Soup recipe.
Jump to:
I like the simplicity of this soup, the tender vegetables in a light broth with the heavy meatballs to balance the meal out. This is the soup I have when I want to make sure I'm warm and full. And to be a whimsical (and because I couldn't find any other tiny pasta) I made this Italian Wedding Soup with stars. I mean, why not right? I'll pretend that it made it taste better.
How to make meatballs
I made my meatballs with a 50/50 mix of pork and beef. If you want to go leaner, feel free to substitute those for chicken or turkey. The key to great meatballs is seasoning. I used fresh parsley, minced onion and garlic primarily.
Once rolled, I cooked them in my cast iron skillet (baking works well too) until browned on all sides. If they have not cooked through on the skillet, that's ok because they will cook more when in the soup.
how do meatballs become tough?
- They are overcooked
- They are made with too lean of a meat
- The meatballs were over mixed
- The meatballs didn't have enough breadcrumbs and milk
how to cook meatballs
There are three main methods to cook Italian Meatballs with Red Sauce
- Baking: Place all meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until browned all over and cooked through. This method is great if you want an easy cleanup and a hands off route. If you like a crispy exterior, this may not be the method for you.
- Pan Fried: In a large cast iron, add cooking oil and brown all meatballs. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. This is the best method for crispy outsides, however you have twice as many dishes to clean. (You can also cook meatballs completely in the frying pan)
- Cooked in Sauce: add uncooked meatballs to red sauce and simmer for 20 minutes, turning so that all sides are cooked through. This is the best method if you want juicy flavorful meatballs.
Ingredients Needed
Meatballs
- ½ Pound Ground Beef
- ½ Pound Ground Pork
- ½ Cup Plain Breadcrumbs
- 1 Egg
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- ¼ Cup Parsley Minced
- ¼ Cup Onion Grated or Minced
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Soup
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 12 Oz Spinach Chopped
- 1 Cup Onion Diced
- 1 Cup Celery Diced
- 1 Cup Carrot Diced
- 10 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Cup Dry Tiny Pasta
- Salt
- Pepper
Equipment Needed
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
- Dutch Oven or Similar
- Wooden Spoon
Storage Tips
Fridge: Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, either warm in the microwave or bring to a simmer on the stovetop and warm until heated through.
Freezer: Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months. To reheat, defrost in the microwave and heat until warmed through.
Italian Wedding Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ½ Pound Ground Beef
- ½ Pound Ground Pork
- ½ Cup Plain Breadcrumbs
- 1 Egg
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- ¼ Cup Parsley Minced
- ¼ Cup Onion Grated or Minced
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Soup
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 12 Oz Spinach Chopped
- 1 Cup Onion Diced
- 1 Cup Celery Diced
- 1 Cup Carrot Diced
- 10 Cups Chicken Stock
- 1 Cup Dry Tiny Pasta
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except oil. Stir to combine.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat and pour oil into skillet
- Roll meatballs into small balls and place in skillet. Cook until browned on all sides, then set aside.
Soup
- Add oil and spinach to a dutch oven or large pot. On medium-high heat cook down spinach until it has wilted.
- Add in onion, celery and carrot. Cook until softened
- Add chicken stock, dry pasta and meatballs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook at a simmer for 10 minutes or until pasta has cooked through. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please refer to our privacy policy for more information.
Arya's Corner
So do all cats sit like this? Nope...just my weirdo
About Michelle
Hello! I'm Michelle Boulé. I'm a photography nerd, cat mom and all around foodie. Join me in making some of my favorite comfort foods!
Dan Zehr says
mmm I want to try this wonderful soup! This looks sooooo good! Yummy! This made me drool. Cannot wait to try this. Thank you for a great recipe!
Claudia Lamascolo says
One of our favorite soups I actually have gallons in the freezer, so I have it all year long. Your soup looks very comforting.
Lauren Vavala says
This recipe reminds me so much of the one my mom would make growing up - so tasty and nostalgic all at the same time.
April says
I barely ever eat canned soups because I also get that processed feeling from them. So I have been collecting homemade soup recipes for quite a while now. Yours looks amazing so it is definitely worth trying! And that kitty cat!
Marisa Franca says
We love our Italian Wedding soup and I thought it was pretty funny the reason it's called that. And as far as a Dutch oven goes, we use ours so much we leave it on top of our stove. It beats having to drag it out every day. In fact we have several cast iron pots so we have them when we need them. I love that little pasta you used in the soup.
Veena Azmanov says
I have never heard of Italian wedding soup. But I love the ingredients and the soup looks so delicious. I must try this soon.
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
Bring. On. The. Cold. Weather!!
So much deliciousness on this site for me to get ready to make! I love soup, year round though, so may as well get on board. Yum!
swathi says
I would like to make this Italian wedding soup it is so comforting. I may use chicken meat ball though. Spinach, veggies and meat ball make it comforting one.
Jenni LeBaron says
Italian Wedding Soup is the perfect dish to make now that the weather is turning a little crisp. This looks lovely and I really like your bowls!
Denay DeGuzman says
I love making Italian wedding soup. It makes me think of my grandmother and her fabulous cooking. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe. It's perfect for the cold-weather months!