Italian Wedding Soup
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This Italian wedding soup recipe is full of flavor and warmth, perfect for this time of year. We have had some cold days and nights and at those times I crave a good cold-weather soup recipe.
There is a longing for a flavorful, steaming hot soup that I just have to satisfy. This soup recipe is made with beef, but you can also make this Italian wedding soup recipe with chicken if you like. Made on your stove top in a savory broth, this soup is one that that the whole family will love.
Hello Friends! I hope you are having a wonderful week! I cannot believe that football season is nearly over and that my favorite team is still in it! There is no better way to celebrate team viewing fun then to enjoy it with good friends and good food.
This week I picked up a few recipe ingredients to fulfill my craving for hot soup. We are due for some long rainy days this week and comforting soup recipes are just what I want.
Today I am sharing my version of Italian wedding soup. It is different from the Olive Garden version because I used all beef meatballs but I still love it. You can also make this with meatballs that are half ground beef and half ground pork.
This soup combines meatballs and orzo in a flavorful broth and quite economical to make. It is one of my favorite soups and is perfect for lunch or dinner and especially good on a cold day. This deicious soup goes really well with this cheesy garlic bread.
Did you know that it is called wedding soup because of the “marriage of the meat and vegetables” in the soup. According to Wikipedia, the term “wedding soup” comes from the Italian language phrase “minestra maritata” (“married soup”), which is a reference to the flavor produced by the combination/”marriage” of greens and the meat.
Ingredients
- ground beef
- Parmesan Cheese
- fresh garlic powder
- onion powder
- bread crumbs
- butter or olive oil
- celery
- onion
- basil
- Italian seasoning
- carrots
- chicken broth
- orzo pasta
- spinach
Equipment
- large soup pot or dutch oven
- large skillet
Substitutions and Variations
- If you don’t have garlic, you can sub garlic powder
- If you don’t have orzo, you can sub another small pasta
- beef broth can be used instead of chicken broth
- I use ground beef, but you can make a mixture of 50/50 ground beef and ground pork or Italian sausage for added flavor and a more traditional Italian soup.
Step-by-step instructions. Ingredient measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
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Tips for the Best Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
- You can make the meatballs ahead of time.
- For best results, use your own homemade meatballs, but if you want to save time, you can use store-bought meatballs You will need to cook the soup until meatballs are heated through if you use frozen meatballs.
- Prepare the carrots, celery and onion ahead of time and store in a container in the refrigerator. If I know I am going to make a few meals several days in a row, I will dice onions for a few days ahead of time and just have them ready to go. It really saves on time.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More Easy Soup Recipes
These soups all have lots of flaovr and are so easy to make.
- Easy Mexicorn Chowder – This colorful and creamy potato and corn soup is made in minutes and is delightfully delicious and filling.
- Potato Chipotle Soup – A tasty potato soup revved up with a little Chipotle pepper and spices. Wonderful for a chilly day or evening.
- Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup – A classic flavorful, homestyle soup that brings back memories of simpler times.
- Chicken Noodle Soup with Spaghetti – A hearty and filling soup mad with extra noodles.
Italian Wedding Soup
Equipment
- large ckillet
- large stock pot
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 tablespoons onion
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 carrots peeled, and sliced
- 6 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1@ teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach (washed)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic powder, basil, Italian seasoning and onion powder.
- Shape mixture into small meatballs about 3/4" balls. Set Aside.
- In a skillet over low heat, melt butter. Add celery, carrots, basil and onion and saute until onion is clear.
- In a large pot, heat broth over low heat. Once celery, onions, and carrots are sauteed, add to the broth. Add orzo to pot and boil for 8-10 minutes.
- In the empty skillet, brown the meatballs over medium-high heat until brown on the outside. Gently roll meatballs for even browning.
- Drain meatballs on a paper towel and add to large pot of soup and cook 5-7 minutes. Add salt and garlic salt.
- Add spinach and stir. Cook another 3-5 minutes and serve.
Nutrition
We hope you love this easy soup recipe!
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That is my all around favorite soup. I’ve had the canned kind which isn’t so good but it was a game changer when a local restaurant served it to me once and it had what you have. REAL, plump meatballs. Not the tiny processed ones. Honestly changed me. I went in there on a whim recently and they had the soup and I joked with them that they always have to call me, tag me on FB, or text me when they make the soup!
I really want to try yours!
Oh I hope you get a chance to try it. I have not had the canned soup but honestly, this one is so good!
Making this tonight for dinner, can’t wait! I think “egg” is missing from your ingredients list though.
Thank you! I had forgotten to list it. Enjoy!
I can totally relate. We’ve been in the deep freeze for too long here in Wisconsin, USA: last week, our lows dipped down to -25 degrees F (with wind chills approaching -55!). After a brief warmup, we’ll be right back in the minus temps again. So, I can’t get enough soup in my life right now! And Italian Wedding Soup is a long-standing favorite of mine. I like the idea of making the meatballs in advance. Great recipe!
Thanks so much Michelle!
It’s -24 here, this was perfect comfort food!
A comfort food hug in a bowl. We gobbled this down in two days, just the two of us! Thanks for sharing the delicious recipe!
My new favorite soup! The meatballs are so filling. Using frozen meatballs is genius! Saves so much time.