Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
This Italian Wedding Soup is hearty, flavorful, and surprisingly simple to make with tender homemade meatballs simmered in a rich, savory broth with vegetables, pearl couscous, and fresh spinach.
Servings 8 bowls
Calories 475kcal
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound Italian sausage
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 6 cups chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups beef broth or stock
- ¾ cup pearl couscous or other small pasta
- 4 cups chopped baby spinach
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Italian sausage, parmesan, breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined. Form into 1 tablespoon-sized meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the meatballs on all sides. They do not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Return the meatballs to the pot. Pour in the chicken stock and beef broth. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in the pearl couscous. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Stir in the chopped spinach and cook just until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
Calories are automatically generated. For best results calculate based on your exact ingredients.
Recipe Notes:
- For deeper flavor, don’t skip browning the meatballs — those browned bits build the broth.
- Any small pasta works: ditalini, acini di pepe, orzo, or even broken spaghetti.
- The pasta will continue absorbing broth as it sits. Add extra stock when reheating if needed.
- To freeze, consider cooking and adding pasta fresh when reheating for best texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 475kcal