Italian wedding soup with mini parmesan meatballs, pearl pasta, and tender greens in a savory broth. ♡
This easy italian wedding soup is the cozy comfort food that gets dinner on the table in 40 minutes. Tiny tender meatballs simmer with acini di pepe pasta and fresh spinach in a deeply savory chicken broth, finished with parmesan that melts right into every spoonful. For more ideas, see our Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs.
Cozy comfort food that warms the kitchen on a slow Sunday. Let’s make it together.
Ingredients
Italian Wedding Soup
- 1/2 lb ground beef, 85% lean
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 parmesan rind, optional
- 3/4 cup acini di pepe pasta, or orzo
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup
- **Soak.** Stir panko and milk in a large bowl and rest 5 minutes until softened into a paste.
- **Mix.** Add ground beef, pork, egg, parmesan, half the garlic, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix gently with your hands.
- **Roll.** Shape into 1/2 inch meatballs and set on a plate. You should get about 40 to 45 mini meatballs.
- **Soften.** Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- **Simmer.** Pour in chicken broth and add the parmesan rind if using. Bring to a gentle simmer and slide in the meatballs one at a time.
- **Cook.** Simmer 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Stir in pasta and cook 8 more minutes until just tender.
- **Finish.** Add spinach and cook 1 minute until wilted. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with extra parmesan.
Why This Recipe Works
Bite size meatballs are the heart of the soup, and getting them tender is all about the panade. Soaking breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes before mixing them into the meat creates a paste that traps moisture during the simmer. Without it the meatballs turn rubbery in the hot broth.
Dropping raw meatballs straight into simmering broth instead of pan searing first keeps them silky. Browning develops crust but it also tightens the protein, while a gentle poach in stock keeps the meatballs spoon tender and lets their juices flavor the soup. The trade off is depth, which the parmesan rind covers.
A parmesan rind dropped into the simmering broth is the move that fills the room with savory smell. As it heats, the rind releases umami glutamates and a subtle nuttiness that the cheese alone cannot match. Save your rinds in a freezer bag and pull one out for any soup you make. For more ideas, see our Crispy Honey Garlic Shrimp.
Tips
- Use a small cookie scoop for evenly sized 1/2 inch meatballs.
- Drop a parmesan rind into the broth as it simmers for extra savory depth.
- Cook the pasta separately if making ahead so it does not bloat in the broth.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth to thin if the pasta has soaked it up.
- Common mistake: do not boil the broth hard. A gentle simmer keeps the meatballs from breaking apart.
Variations
- Use ground turkey instead of beef and pork for a lighter version.
- Stir in 2 cups baby kale or escarole instead of spinach for a heartier green.
- Add 1 diced carrot and celery rib with the onion for classic mirepoix flavor.
- Swap acini di pepe for orzo or pastina if that is what you have.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon and grated zest for brightness.
- Drizzle with chili oil at the end for a warm spicy kick.
Looking for more recipes? Try our Sheet Pan Greek Lemon Chicken Potatoes or Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken next.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the panade: Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes first. This is what keeps the meatballs tender.
- Boiling the broth too hard: Keep it at a gentle simmer. Hard boiling breaks the meatballs and toughens the meat.
- Cooking pasta in the broth ahead of time: Add pasta in the last 8 minutes only. Cooked too long and it bloats and absorbs all the broth.
- Forgetting to season the meat: Salt, pepper, garlic, and parmesan in the meatball mix is what flavors them. Skip them and the meatballs taste flat.
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
Method
- **Soak.** Stir panko and milk in a large bowl and rest 5 minutes until softened into a paste.
- **Mix.** Add ground beef, pork, egg, parmesan, half the garlic, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix gently with your hands.
- **Roll.** Shape into 1/2 inch meatballs and set on a plate. You should get about 40 to 45 mini meatballs.
- **Soften.** Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- **Simmer.** Pour in chicken broth and add the parmesan rind if using. Bring to a gentle simmer and slide in the meatballs one at a time.
- **Cook.** Simmer 10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Stir in pasta and cook 8 more minutes until just tender.
- **Finish.** Add spinach and cook 1 minute until wilted. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with extra parmesan.
Notes
Sources: USDA FoodData Central for nutrition data and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Nutrition Source.
