Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Total time: 45 mins | Servings: 6 PEOPLE
This Italian Wedding Soup is an amazing dish you can easily make either on the stovetop, crockpot, or Instant Pot. This is a delicious dinner made with homemade meatballs. For an easy and quick meal, you can also use frozen meatballs.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
Meatballs:
½ pound ground pork
½ pound ground beef, 80% lean
¼ c. Parmesan cheese, finely grated into a powder
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. Italian breadcrumbs, homemade is best
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
salt & freshly ground pepper
1/3 c. fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Soup:
¾ c. celery, diced
1 ¼ c. carrots, diced
1 ¼ c. yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
¾ c. acini de pepe pasta, uncooked
8 ounces of fresh spinach
8 c. chicken broth
salt/pepper
Garnish:
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
How to make Italian Wedding Soup
Step 1: Combine the meatball ingredients, but do not overwork the meat. Into 1-inch balls, roll the meat. This yield about 35 meatballs.
Step 2: In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs into batches and brown for about 2 to 3 minutes. Set the browned meatballs aside.
Step 3: To the skillet, saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes until tender. Next, add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Pour in the chicken broth and add the Italian seasoning. To taste, season with salt and pepper. Bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, adjust the heat to medium. Then, toss in the meatballs and pasta.
Step 4: Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes or until the meatballs are completely cooked.
Step 5: Fold in the spinach.
Step 6: Before serving, garnish the soup with some fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes:
You can use orzo pasta instead of Acini De Pepe Pasta
If having leftovers, separate the pasta and simply add it to the serving bowls before serving.
Crock Pot Method:
Assemble the meatballs and brown them as directed in the above recipe. Place the meatballs in the crockpot. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Set to cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Then, add the acini de pepe and continue to cook for another 30 minutes on low. Next, fold in the spinach and cook for additional 3 minutes until wilted. Before serving, top with fresh parsley or Parmesan cheese.
Instant Pot Method:
Mix the meatball ingredients and shape them into 1-inch balls. Add the oil to the Instant Pot on saute more. In batches, cook the meatballs for about 3 minutes until all sides are browned. Set the meatballs aside. In the Instant Pot, saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Pour in the chicken broth. Deglaze the bottom of the pot using a silicone spatula. Then, add the Italian seasoning and meatballs. Close the lid and seal the valve. Pressure cook the meatballs for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, let the steam escape by flipping the quick-release valve. Now, add the acini de pepe and set the Instant Pot to saute. Cook for another 9 minutes. Fold in the spinach, then serve garnished with some parsley and fresh Parmesan.
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 344 kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 1398mg, Potassium: 887mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 8126IU, Vitamin C: 38mg, Calcium: 126mg, Iron: 4mg
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Meatballs:
- ½ pound ground pork
- ½ pound ground beef 80% lean
- ¼ c. Parmesan cheese finely grated into a powder
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 c. Italian breadcrumbs homemade is best
- 3 cloves garlic finely diced
- salt & freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 c. fresh parsley roughly chopped
- Soup:
- ¾ c. celery diced
- 1 ¼ c. carrots diced
- 1 ¼ c. yellow onion diced
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- ¾ c. acini de pepe pasta uncooked
- 8 ounces of fresh spinach
- 8 c. chicken broth
- salt/pepper
- Garnish:
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
- Combine the meatball ingredients, but do not overwork the meat. Into 1-inch balls, roll the meat. This yield about 35 meatballs.
- In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs into batches and brown for about 2 to 3 minutes. Set the browned meatballs aside.
- To the skillet, saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes until tender. Next, add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Pour in the chicken broth and add the Italian seasoning. To taste, season with salt and pepper. Bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, adjust the heat to medium. Then, toss in the meatballs and pasta.
- Let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes or until the meatballs are completely cooked.
- Fold in the spinach.
- Before serving, garnish the soup with some fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
