Homemade Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (Authentic)

5 from 11 votes

An authentic Italian Wedding Soup made with homemade meatballs, leafy greens, and a rich broth. Comforting and perfect for any night of the week.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: authentic Italian wedding soup, Italian wedding soup, wedding soup recipe

Servings: -6 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup onion chopped
3 large carrots chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 garlic cloves
10 cups chicken stock
½ cup uncooked acini di pepe pasta or any small pasta variety- suggestions in blog post
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup freshly grated parmigiano for topping parmesan
Kosher salt and Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 recipe Italian meatballs

Make the Italian meatballs. Cover and set aside. You can make them ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 24 hours in advance.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onions, and celery and saute until veggies are soft, about 8 minutes; add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.
Pour in chicken broth, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the meatballs, and reduce heat to a light boil(about medium or medium-low).
Cover and cook, occasionally stirring, until the meatballs have cooked through and are tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the spinach during the last few minutes of cooking.
Bring salted water to a boil in a separate small pot and cook the pasta according to package directions (about 8-10 minutes). Drain and add the cooked pasta to serving bowls, then add the hot soup on top of the cooked pasta. Alternatively, you can cook the pasta in the soup and add at the same time as the meatballs.
Serve warm. Sprinkle each serving with freshly grated parmigiano cheese and serve with bread.

Always use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano for the best flavor and texture. It makes all the difference—skip the pre-shredded stuff!
Make a double batch of meatballs and freeze half for later. Freeze them on a baking sheet in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Just drop the frozen meatballs into the hot broth and simmer until warmed through.
To keep the soup from getting too thick, especially if you plan on leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl when serving.