Recipes Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes Soup Recipes Italian Wedding Soup 4.7 (1,004) 778 Reviews 114 Photos This Italian wedding soup is a combination of homemade meatballs with sliced escarole, carrots, and orzo pasta in a lovely flavorsome broth. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese. Submitted by Star Pooley Updated on September 25, 2024 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 114 114 114 114 Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4 Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Warm up with a hearty bowl of Italian wedding soup. This top-rated soup recipe is the perfect bowl of comfort that everyone will love. Want to know the best part? This Italian wedding soup only requires a few ingredients and comes together in less than an hour. What Is Italian Wedding Soup? Italian wedding soup is a hearty Italian soup consisting of noodles, vegetables, meatballs, and broth. It was originally a "peasant dish," meaning it's made from inexpensive ingredients that anyone could find. Why Is It Called Italian Wedding Soup? Even though it's called "wedding soup," this soup has nothing to do with weddings. The name comes from the Italian phrase "minestra maritata," which actually means married soup. But it's not the marriage we think of — it's actually referring to the marriage of the ingredients and the flavor it produces. What Is In Italian Wedding Soup? Most Italian wedding soups contain these ingredients: Meatballs: Combine ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan, basil, and onion powder to create the meatballs.Broth: This recipe calls for chicken broth — though reviewers have had luck using different broths too.Vegetables: This soup has escarole and carrots. You can also add onions or celery if you want more color.Pasta: This recipe calls for orzo. What Type of Pasta Goes In Italian Wedding Soup? This particular recipe calls for orzo pasta, which is what we like to use. But you can really use any small pasta you have on hand, like ditalini or acini de pepe. How to Make Italian Wedding Soup You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's what you can expect when making this Italian wedding soup: Make the meatballs: Combine ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan, basil, and onion powder and shape into small meatballs.Make the soup: In a pot, boil broth and add escarole, orzo pasta, chopped carrot and meatballs. Cook at a slow boil until the pasta is al dente. What to Serve With Italian Wedding Soup Italian wedding soup really does have it all, so don't feel pressured to serve it with anything! However, we like serving this soup with a warm dinner roll. How to Store Italian Wedding Soup Store completely cooled Italian wedding soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. You may need to add more broth or water when you're ready to reheat the soup, as the pasta tends to soak it up. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. How to Freeze Italian Wedding Soup Italian wedding soup freezes well. Ladle the completely cooled soup into individually portioned zip-top freezer bags. Freeze flat for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove until warmed through. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise "I love this soup. The only changes I made was to use mild Italian sausage for the meatballs, which I made in advance, and I used baby spinach leaves instead of escarole," says slowcooker. "I added the spinach during the last minute of cooking. This is a great weeknight soup." "I made this for the first time on Easter. My husband and I had had it before but my guests were delighted. It was better than any I had tasted. It has become a family favorite, and I like that it is so simple to make," raves another Allrecipes community member. "This soup was excellent!" according to Marlena C. "Based upon other reviews, I doubled the meat so I'd have a lot of meatballs, and added extra broth. I have already made this recipe twice, and plan on making it frequently in the future!" Editorial contributions by Bailey Fink Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings ½ pound extra-lean ground beef 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese ½ teaspoon dried basil ½ teaspoon onion powder 5 ¾ cups chicken broth 2 cups thinly sliced escarole 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta ⅓ cup finely chopped carrot Directions Combine ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil, and onion powder in a bowl. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Shape beef mixture into 3/4-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined tray. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Heat broth in a large pot over medium-high heat until boiling. Stir in escarole, orzo, carrot, and meatballs and return to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook at slow boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until pasta is tender yet firm to the bite, about 10 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Serve hot and enjoy! DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS Cook’s Note This recipe is pretty versatile. You can use ground turkey instead of beef, spinach instead of escarole, and any small pasta instead of orzo. I Made It Print 1,431 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 416 Calories 14g Fat 43g Carbs 27g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 416 % Daily Value * Total Fat 14g 18% Saturated Fat 5g 27% Cholesterol 87mg 29% Sodium 1211mg 53% Total Carbohydrate 43g 16% Dietary Fiber 3g 10% Total Sugars 4g Protein 27g 55% Vitamin C 2mg 3% Calcium 75mg 6% Iron 4mg 23% Potassium 676mg 14% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.