It’s definitely soup season and there’s no better soup to whip up than this Italian Wedding Soup!
Funny enough, Italian Wedding Soup, despite its name, is not actually a soup served at weddings in Italy. The name “wedding soup” is believed to be a mistranslation of the Italian phrase “minestra maritata,” which translates to “married soup.” This refers to the harmonious combination of the ingredients.
No matter the reason for the name, I think you will love this cozy and comforting soup which includes tender meatballs made with a blend of hot Italian sausage and ground beef, chewy balls of acini de pepe pasta, lots of vegetables, simmered in a flavorful mix of beef bone broth and chicken broth.
Recipe Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1/4 lb Ground Hot Italian Pork Sausage Can also use regular ground pork or mild Italian pork sausage
- 1/4 lb Ground Beef I used 90% lean
- 3 tbsp Italian Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Egg beaten
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese freshly grated; additional to serve
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped
- 2 tsp Chives chopped
- 1/8 tsp Dried Sage
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Soup
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 medium Yellow Onion diced
- 3/4 cup Carrots diced
- 1/2 cup Celery diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/4 cup White Wine optional
- 2 cups Beef Bone Broth or beef stock
- 4 cups Chicken Broth I used a low-sodium broth
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper can use all black pepper
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper additional to serve
- 1/4 tsp Dry Mustard
- 1/2 cup Acini de Pepe Pasta or another small shape like orzo
- 2 oz Arugula can also use spinach
Recipe Instructions
The Meatballs
The foundation of this soup is the perfectly seasoned meatballs. I combined ground hot Italian pork sausage and lean ground beef, but you can also use mild sausage or regular ground pork. Mix in Italian breadcrumbs, beaten egg, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and an array of aromatic herbs like parsley, chives, and dried sage, for ALL of the flavor. Bake the meatballs while you start working on the soup to save time!
Make the Broth
Begin by sautéing diced onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil. I also added minced garlic and a splash To elevate the flavors, minced garlic is added, infusing the soup with its aromatic essence. A splash of white wine to add even more flavor. I like using a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc, but the wine is optional.
I loved the addition of beef bone broth with the low-sodium chicken broth to make this soup more complex and feel even heartier. Toss in a bay leaf, white pepper (optional, but I like the added layer of flavor compared to only black pepper), black pepper, and dry mustard. Once the broth is boiling, mix in the acini de pepe pasta. These are so small and fun! They become chewy little pasta balls as they pump up in the broth. Another small shape such as orzo would work as well if you can’t find acini de pepe.
Bringing It All Together
As the pasta nears its ideal tenderness, it’s time to toss in the meatballs! To add a touch of freshness and a hint of peppery zing, a couple handfuls of arugula is stirred in. A lot of Italian Wedding Soup recipes use spinach, which also works well, but I actually found the arugula to really brighten up this soup even more!
Serve this soup piping hot and garnished with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper. Make sure to have lots of crusty bread on the table to dunk into the warm and flavorful broth.
Did you try this Italian Wedding Soup? Leave a Review!
There are so many versions of Italian Wedding Soup out there, but I hope you give my version a try! I think there are several aspects that make it unique and create amazing flavors such as the ground beef and hot Italian sausage blend, mixture of beef bone broth and chicken stock, white pepper, dry mustard, and peppery arugula.
If you try this recipe, feel free to rate/leave a review. You can also tag me on Instagram or TikTok!
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1/4 lb Ground Hot Italian Pork Sausage Can also use regular ground pork or mild Italian pork sausage
- 1/4 lb Ground Beef I used 90% lean
- 3 tbsp Italian Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Egg beaten
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese freshly grated; additional to serve
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley chopped
- 2 tsp Chives chopped
- 1/8 tsp Dried Sage
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
Soup
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 medium Yellow Onion diced
- 3/4 cup Carrots diced
- 1/2 cup Celery diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1/4 cup White Wine optional
- 2 cups Beef Bone Broth or beef stock
- 4 cups Chicken Broth I used a low-sodium broth
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper can use all black pepper
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper additional to serve
- 1/4 tsp Dry Mustard
- 1/2 cup Acini de Pepe Pasta or another small shape like orzo
- 2 oz Arugula can also use spinach
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare baking sheet. Line sheet with aluminum foil and place oven-proof wire rack over top. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Gently mix with your hands until combined. Roll into about 3/4 inch meatballs. You should have about 25 meatballs. *See Note
- Bake for about 15 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through. Set aside for later.
Soup
- Meanwhile, start the soup. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables have softened. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the white wine, beef bone broth, chicken broth, bay leaf, white pepper, black pepper, and dry mustard. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the ancini de pepe pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes until the pasta is almost cooked through, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the meatballs and arugula. Cook for another 3 minutes. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Divide among bowls to serve. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper as desired.
Video
@carolbeecooks Where are my italian wedding soup lovers? This soup was like a warm hug. I ate it for dinner and 2 lunches in a row so you know it’s good 😌 #souptok #soupszn #italianweddingsoup
♬ hendriksvibes – hendriksvibes
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