Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup is a comforting, brothy soup filled with tender meatballs, small pasta, and greens. This version features a deeply flavorful broth made with chicken and beef stock, delicate homemade meatballs, and hearty kale for balance.

It’s the kind of soup that feels nourishing and special at the same time, perfect for cold evenings, family dinners, or making ahead for the week.

Meggan’s Notes

Despite the name, Italian Wedding Soup is not traditionally served at weddings. The name comes from the Italian phrase minestra maritata, which means “marriage” of ingredients, especially the way meatballs, greens, and broth work together.

This recipe focuses on building flavor in stages. Aromatic vegetables are gently cooked, then simmered with wine, Worcestershire sauce, and a blend of chicken and beef broths to create a rich yet balanced base. The broth is strained for clarity before the final elements are added.

The meatballs are intentionally small and tender, made with a panade of bread, cream, and egg so they stay soft as they cook directly in the soup. Small pasta and chopped kale finish the dish, making it hearty without being heavy.

Why This Recipe Works

• Layered broth: Chicken and beef broth create depth without overpowering the soup.
• Strained base: Results in a clean, refined broth.
• Tender meatballs: A panade keeps them soft and delicate.
• Balanced finish: Pasta adds body while kale brings freshness.

Italian Wedding Soup Ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

• Onion: Onion is used in both the broth and the meatballs in this soup. To avoid biting into large chunks of onion in your meatballs, finely chop the onion before adding it to the meat mixture.
• Fennel bulb: Trim the stalks from the top (reserve any frilly fennel fronds for garnish on a salad, if desired). Then, trim off the thick root end of the bulb. Remove any tough outer layers, then chop the bulb.
• White wine: Opt for a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, Unoaked Chardonnay, or Pinot Grigio. Or, omit the wine and substitute more chicken broth.
• Worcestershire sauce: Adds a layer of umami flavor to this light soup. Substitute soy sauce, Maggi sauce, or Kitchen Bouquet, or feel free to omit.
• Chicken broth and beef broth: I keep jars of Better than Bouillon chicken and beef base in the fridge. This paste is similar to bullion cubes, and you dissolve it in boiling water just like you would with bullion cubes. If you have a jar of homemade broth in the freezer, that’s even better.
• Kale: Any sturdy, leafy dark green like escarole or chard will work, too. Just be sure to remove the thick stems and cut into 1/2-inch pieces for spoon-sized bites that wilt down nicely.
• Bread: Use a slice of white bread to make a panade, a paste that ensures the juiciest possible meatballs. You can also substitute ⅓ cup of bread crumbs.
• Ground beef: This recipe calls for 1 pound of ground beef, but you can substitute 1 pound of pork, use ½ pound each of beef and pork, or use ground Italian sausage.

How to Make Italian Wedding Soup

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add onion, fennel, garlic, and bay leaf, and cook until onion becomes translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.

2. Add wine and Worcestershire, and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and beef broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mash together egg, cream, and bread until a smooth paste forms. Add beef, Parmesan cheese, onion, fresh parsley, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Using a strong rubber spatula or your hands, mix well. Working with 1 heaping teaspoon at a time, roll the meat mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet. Set aside.

4. Strain the broth using a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pushing on solids with a spatula to extract as much of the broth as possible. Discard solids and return broth to the pot.

5. Bring broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add pasta and kale, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add meatballs and cook until pasta is al dente and meatballs register 165 degrees on a thermometer, about 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Italian Wedding Soup Tips and Variations

• Yield: This Italian Wedding Soup recipe makes 8 generous one-cup-sized servings.
• Make ahead: Formed meatballs can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours. The broth can be made and stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Greens: Substitute escarole or spinach for kale. Add spinach at the very end.
• Meatball options: Ground pork or a beef and pork blend also work well.
• Make ahead: Prepare the broth and meatballs in advance, then finish with pasta and greens before serving.
• Extra richness: Stir in a Parmesan rind while simmering the broth, then remove before straining.
• Alternative meatball methods: You’ll score the best flavor by cooking the meatballs in broth; this way, they’ll infuse the soup itself. That being said, you have two other options for preparing the meatballs if you’d rather add them to the soup fully cooked:
  • Pan-fried meatballs: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add meatballs and cook, turning occasionally until brown on all sides and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, about 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a paper-lined plate.
  • Oven-baked meatballs: Adjust two oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and baking racks. Place formed meatballs onto the baking sheet about 1 inch apart and bake until browned and crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 165 degrees for 15 seconds. 

How to Store Italian Wedding Soup

• Refrigerator: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that pasta will absorb some of the broth, and the consistency may change, but the flavors will remain delicious.
• Freezer: Pack cooled soup into freezer-safe containers and leave at least 1 inch for expansion. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat to 165 degrees.

Italian Wedding Soup

By Meggan Hill

This Italian Wedding Soup is best served hot with extra grated Parmesan at the table.

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings (1 generous cup each)

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Calories 371

5 from 3 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the broth:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 small onion chopped (about 1 cup)
• ▢ 1 bulb fennel stalks removed, trimmed, and chopped
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1/2 cup dry white wine
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 4 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 4 cups beef broth

For the meatballs:

• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1/4 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1 slice white sandwich bread or ⅓ cup bread crumbs
• ▢ 16 ounces ground beef , ground pork, or ground Italian sausage
• ▢ 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more, for garnish
• ▢ 1 small onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

• ▢ 1 cup ditalini pasta or other small pasta such as tubettini or orzo
• ▢ 12 ounces kale stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

Instructions 

To make the broth:

• In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add onion, fennel, garlic, and bay leaf, and cook until onion becomes translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add wine and Worcestershire, and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and beef broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

To make the meatballs:

• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mash together egg, cream, and bread until a smooth paste forms. Add beef, Parmesan cheese, onion, fresh parsley, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
• Using a strong rubber spatula or your hands, mix well. Working with 1 heaping teaspoon at a time, roll the meat mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet. Set aside.

To make the soup:

• Strain the broth using a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, pushing on solids with a spatula to extract as much of the broth as possible. Discard solids and return broth to the pot.
• Bring broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add pasta and kale, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add meatballs and cook until pasta is al dente and meatballs register 165 degrees on a thermometer, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Recipe Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 heaping cupCalories: 371kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 19gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 1068mgPotassium: 642mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 4502IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 203mgIron: 3mg

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