Italian
Italian Wedding Soup
Small beef-and-pork meatballs simmer in a clear chicken broth with greens and tiny pasta. The result is light but satisfying for a full meal.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
Photo: stu_spivack (CC BY-SA). Source
Why you’ll love it
- Mini meatballs cook quickly and stay tender in broth.
- Escarole or spinach wilts in minutes at the end.
- Acini di pepe gives body without turning the soup stewy.
- Parmesan in the meatballs seasons the broth as they simmer.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Mix beef, pork, Parmesan, egg, breadcrumbs, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Roll into 3/4-inch meatballs.
- 2
Bring broth, carrot, remaining salt, and pepper to a simmer in a large pot.
- 3
Add meatballs and simmer 12 minutes until cooked through.
- 4
Stir in pasta and cook 8 minutes until tender.
- 5
Add greens and parsley; cook 2 minutes until wilted.
Pro tips
- Keep meatballs small so they cook evenly without falling apart.
- Stir pasta once so it does not stick to the bottom.
- Grate extra Parmesan at the table if you like.
Easy substitutions
- ground pork
- all ground beef
- escarole
- baby spinach
- acini di pepe
- orzo
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Pasta will absorb broth; add stock when reheating.
Reheating
Simmer gently on the stovetop with extra broth until hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 340
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Moderate · Stovetop
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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