Italian Wedding Soup Orzo
Updated Aug 31, 2025, Published on Apr 14, 2024
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Italian Wedding Soup Orzo is a cozy, comforting twist on the classic soup. This creamy orzo pasta dish pairs tender oven-baked meatballs with fresh spinach and arugula, all finished with plenty of Parmesan cheese.
If you love Italian Wedding Soup, this recipe takes those same familiar flavors and ingredients and transforms them into a delicious risotto-like pasta you’ll want to make again and again.
Pro tip: double the meatball recipe so you can freeze extras or save some for my Not Your Nonna's Spaghetti & Meatballs recipe!
Watch how to make it here!
Why You'll Love this Orzo Recipe
Comfort Food with a Twist: All the cozy flavors of Italian Wedding Soup reimagined in a creamy, risotto-style orzo pasta dish.
Juicy Homemade Mini Meatballs: Oven-baked with Italian sausage, beef, fresh herbs, and Parmesan for big flavor in every bite. Make double to pair with my Not Your Nonna's Spaghetti & Meatballs recipe!
Veggie-Packed: Onion, carrots, celery, spinach, and arugula add freshness, color, and balance to this hearty pasta.
Cozy + Crowd-Pleasing: Perfect for Sunday dinner or a weeknight meal. It’s also great for warmer evenings when you’re craving the comfort of Italian Wedding Soup but don’t want a steaming bowl of broth.
Recipe Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with exact quantities.
- Orzo Pasta: One of my all-time favorite pantry staples! This rice-shaped pasta cooks up creamy and risotto-like as it simmers in broth, making it the perfect base for all the cozy flavors in this dish.
- Ground Hot Italian Pork Sausage: A mix of ground pork, spices, and herbs that brings bold, savory flavor to the homemade meatballs. Using hot Italian sausage adds a little kick, but you can swap for mild if you prefer.
Italian Wedding Soup Orzo (Step-by-Step Instructions)
See the recipe card below for the full list of instructions.
- Form meatballs and bake for about 15-20 minutes at 350°F.
- Meanwhile, make the orzo. Cook the vegetables then toast the orzo. Deglaze with white wine then pour in the liquids. Simmer until the orzo is cooked through.
- Once the orzo is cooked, add the parmesan cheese, spinach/arugula, and baked meatballs.
- Divide the orzo among bowls to serve. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and black pepper.
Ready to try it? Scroll to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and full instructions.
Italian Wedding Soup Orzo FAQ's
Yes! The homemade meatballs can be baked up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months, then add them to the orzo pasta when reheating.
If you don’t want to use hot Italian sausage, you can swap in mild Italian sausage, ground pork, or even all ground beef. The sausage adds the most flavor, but the recipe works well with any ground meat.
Store leftover Italian Wedding Soup Orzo in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or warm gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth or water if needed to loosen the pasta.
Did you try this Italian Wedding Soup Orzo recipe? Leave a Review!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a rating and review. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or TikTok so I can see your creations!
Italian Wedding Soup Orzo
Equipment
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ¼ pound Ground Hot Italian Pork Sausage, use mild if you prefer less spice. Ground pork also works
- ¼ pound Ground Beef, I used 90% lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons Italian Breadcrumbs
- ½ Egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Fresh Chives, chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon Dried Sage
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Orzo
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ Yellow Onion, finely diced
- ½ cup Carrots, finely diced
- ¼ cup Celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups Orzo Pasta, uncooked
- ¼ cup White Wine, or substitute with chicken broth
- 2 cups Beef Bone Broth, reduced sodium recommended, or use regular beef broth/stock
- 1 cup Chicken Broth, low sodium preferred; water works in a pinch (add more as needed)
- ¼ teaspoon Dry Mustard
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated; plus more for serving
- 2 cups Spinach & Arugula Mix, about 2 large handfuls (can use all spinach or all arugula)
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place an oven-safe wire rack on top. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Gently mix with your hands until just combined. Roll into about 25 meatballs, about ¾ inch each. See Recipe Note.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside.
Orzo
- While the meatballs bake, heat the olive oil in a large, high-rimmed sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the uncooked orzo and toast for 1 minute, stirring often. Deglaze the pan with white wine (or broth), scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for about 1 minute, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Pour in the beef bone broth, chicken broth, dry mustard, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Add more broth or water as needed.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in Parmesan until melted, then fold in spinach and arugula until wilted. Add the baked meatballs and toss to combine.
- Divide among bowls and top with extra Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper to serve.
Video
Notes
- Recipe Note: You can double the meatball recipe and save half for another recipe such as my Not Your Nonna’s Spaghetti & Meatballs. They also freeze well for up to 3 months.
- Storage & Reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals or warm gently on the stove with a splash of broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is so delicious! Thank you 🙂
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a review!
Wow-this is delicious!! What a great idea to combine the classic Italian wedding soup with orzo. I had some extra time and made my own bread crumbs for the meatballs and they were sooo good. So glad I found this recipe! It will be a new favorite!
Thank you so much for trying out my recipe and leaving such a nice review! I love that you made your own bread crumbs for the meatballs!
Delicious, made a gluten free verson and added some tender stem broccoli. Another great recipe
Thank you so much for leaving such a nice review! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.