Description
Italian Wedding Soup is a comforting and hearty soup featuring tender homemade meatballs, orzo pasta, and fresh baby spinach simmered in a flavorful chicken broth. This classic Italian-American soup blends savory ground beef and turkey meatballs with aromatic vegetables and Parmesan cheese, making it a perfect meal for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 8 oz lean ground beef
- 8 oz ground turkey
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp extra‑virgin olive oil
Soup
- 1 Tbsp extra‑virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup diced carrots
- ¼ cup diced yellow onion
- ¼ cup diced celery
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups low‑sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 5 oz baby spinach
- Finely shredded Parmesan, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine the lean ground beef, ground turkey, breadcrumbs, chopped fresh parsley, shredded Parmesan cheese, egg, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Gently mix the ingredients together without overworking the meat to ensure tender meatballs. Shape the mixture into very small meatballs roughly ¾ to 1 inch in diameter.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides for about 5 to 6 minutes. Once browned, transfer the meatballs to a paper-towel lined plate to drain. They will finish cooking in the soup.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pot, add another tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the diced carrots, yellow onion, and celery, cooking until the vegetables are softened, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Season with kosher salt, ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook Orzo and Start Broth: Stir the orzo pasta into the vegetables in the pot, then pour in the low-sodium chicken broth. Increase heat and bring the broth to a boil.
- Simmer Soup with Meatballs: Add the browned meatballs back to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low to allow the broth to simmer gently. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is al dente and the meatballs are fully cooked through.
- Add Spinach: In the final minute of cooking, stir in the baby spinach until it is wilted and incorporated into the soup.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish generously with finely shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately while warm and enjoy the hearty flavors.
Notes
- Form small meatballs to ensure they cook quickly and evenly in the broth.
- Do not overmix the meatball ingredients to keep the texture tender and moist.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control the saltiness in the soup.
- Orzo pasta can be substituted with acini di pepe or other small pasta shapes if desired.
- Fresh baby spinach adds a nice texture and color; you can substitute with kale or Swiss chard.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
