Italian Wedding Soup

This delicious Italian wedding soup features mini sweet-and-spicy Italian sausage meatballs in a flavorful broth with accents of acini de pepe, bites of vegetables, and Parmigiano Reggiano flavor. This classic Italian soup is made with a lot of love and is full of flavor!

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Italian wedding soup

Freezer Friendly Yes

Prep Time 50

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 450kcal

Ingredients

Meatballs

1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage, pork or chicken sausage works
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage, pork or chicken sausage works
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, or Pecorino Romano
1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg

The Soup

5 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium to large diced yellow onion,
2 diced medium to large carrots
2 diced celery ribs
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine, I used Pinot Grigio
8 cups chicken stock
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 medium to large Parmigiano Reggiano rind
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/3 cup dry acini de pepe
salt and black pepper to taste
3 cups chopped escarole or spinach

Instructions

Make the soft breadcrumbs. Take any bread you have on hand, remove the crust, and blend it in a food processor or blender until it forms soft crumbs.
Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, mix all of the meatball ingredients until completely combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Form the meatballs into 1-inch sizes. Divide the meatball mixture and form into 1-inch-sized portions (you can do even smaller if you prefer). Roll and shape, then place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper until finished.
Brown the meatballs. Heat a large saucepan on medium to low heat. Once the pan is heated, drizzle 3 Tablespoons of olive oil and slightly brown the meatballs for 1-2 minutes per side. Only cook them to a golden color; not too much browning should happen in this step. Then transfer them to a plate with paper towels to soak up the extra oils.
Sauté the vegetables. In a large pot or Dutch oven with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, saute the diced onion, carrots, and celery for a few minutes until soft. Add a generous sprinkle of salt while they cook. Then add the minced garlic for the last 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with white wine and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer. Add the browned meatballs, rosemary sprig, acini de pepe, parm rind, garlic and onion powder, and chicken stock. Season with a generous sprinkle of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Let the soup simmer for 20-25 minutes, partially covered.
Add the escarole. Stir in the chopped escarole after the simmer time is up, and let it cook for 3-5 minutes. Then taste the broth, season with more salt if needed until the flavor is just right, then serve the soup with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Video

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