Italian Wedding Soup Recipe l Skinnytaste

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Made with homemade turkey meatballs, tiny pasta, and dark leafy greens, Italian Wedding Soup is simple yet flavorful. Ready in just 30 minutes!

Close up of a bowl of Italian wedding soup

Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Italian Wedding soup is a classic favorite of mine. It’s such a simple yet flavorful soup, with meatballs, small pasta like ditalini, and leafy greens.

The name “Italian Wedding Soup” is a reference to the “marriage” of greens and meat in the soup . I love to use escarole in my soup but spinach, kale, and other dark leafy greens work just as well!

A few more soup recipes I love are Spinach Tortellini en Brodo, Cheeseburger Soup and Chicken and Avocado soup.

A ladle of Italian wedding soup over a pot

Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Italian Wedding Soup

Quick and easy. One reason I love this recipe for Italian meatball soup so much is that it’s just so easy. It comes together in just 30 minutes – and that includes making the meatballs from scratch!
Meatballs made from scratch. The meatballs in this soup are turkey meatballs made from scratch – but don’t let that intimidate you! The meatballs are made with just a few ingredients and require just a few minutes of prep.
Perfect for meal prep. This recipe makes a lot, which makes it perfect to make ahead and freeze in portions for lunch or dinner for the month.

Overhead view of ingredients for Italian wedding soup

Recipe Ingredients

Both the homemade meatballs and the soup are made with just a handful of ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.

For the Meatballs

Ground turkey breast – I used 99% lean ground turkey.
Breadcrumbs – I like seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs. If you find unseasoned, you may want to add more seasoning to the mixture.
Parmesan cheese – Grated from the block.
Aromatics – Parsley, onion, and garlic add flavor to the meatballs.
Egg – Helps to hold the meatballs together.
Salt

For the Soup

Olive oil – For sauteing the aromatics.
Onion & carrots – Add flavor and texture.
Chicken broth – Use low sodium to control the saltiness of the broth.
Parmesan cheese rind – Optional but recommended for flavor.
Leafy greens – You can use escarole, fresh spinach, or any dark leafy green you desire.
Cracked pepper
Pasta – Acini di pepe, orzo, and ditalini are all great choices.

How to Make Italian Wedding Soup

Here’s an overview of how to make this Italian wedding soup recipe on the stovetop. Scroll down to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Turkey meatball mixture in a glass bowl — Meatball ingredients combined in a bowl

Mini turkey meatballs on a baking sheet — Meatball ingredients combined in a bowl

Prepare the broth. Saute the olive oil, onions, and carrots until soft. Add the chicken broth and cheese rind then cover and bring to a boil.
Make the meatballs. Combine the meatball ingredients. Form small meatballs, about 1 tablespoon each. Place them on a baking sheet and broil for 8 to 10 minutes.

Broth being poured into a pot with carrots — Broth being added to the sauteed carrots

Greens added to a pot of broth and veggies — Broth being added to the sauteed carrots

Add the remaining ingredients. Once the broth is boiling, add the meatballs, pasta, and greens, along with the pepper and salt. Cook according to the pasta directions.
Enjoy. Remove the parmesan cheese rind and enjoy!

Can I Make This In The Instant Pot?

Yes! You can also make your Italian wedding soup in the Instant Pot. The process is very similar, you just use the sauté function to cook the carrots and onions then high pressure to boil the broth. You can cook the meatballs right in the Instant pot as well. The recipe card below has full Instant Pot instructions.

A bowl of Italian wedding soup with a spoon

Tips & Variations

Here are a few tips and variations for making your Italian wedding soup.

Use the Instant Pot. To make this soup even quicker, you can prepare it in the Instant Pot. You can even cook the meatballs right in the Instant Pot as well. See the recipe card below for complete Instant Pot instructions.
Use frozen meatballs. Don’t feel like making the meatballs from scratch? You can definitely use frozen meatballs! Note that they may need a few extra minutes to cook through.
Avoid overcooking the pasta. The small pasta used in this recipe cooks very quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on it to avoid mushy pasta.
Omit the pasta. If desired, you can omit the pasta entirely for a low-carb soup.

Serving Suggestions

The wonderful thing about this soup is that it makes a hearty but light lunch or dinner on its own. I like to serve it with some freshly grated parmesan on top and you may want to serve with a slice of crusty bread to soak up the yummy broth as well.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Fridge. Store leftover Italian wedding soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Freezer. This soup also freezes well. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container or ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge.
Reheat. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or bring larger portions to a simmer on the stovetop.

A meatball on a spoon above a bowl of Italian wedding soup.

More Soup Recipes You might Enjoy

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

Stove Directions:

Heat a large pot over med-high heat and add the olive oil, onions and carrots, saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and Parmesan cheese rind, if using and bring it to a boil, covered.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, onion, garlic, salt and cheese. Using your (clean) hands, gently mix all the ingredients well until everything is combined.
Form small meatballs, about 1 tbsp each, you’ll get about 40. Place them on a sheet pan and broil on the 2nd rack from the top until the top is golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
When the broth comes to a boil, drop the meatballs in, add the pasta and chopped escarole.
Add fresh black pepper, adjust salt as needed and cook according to pasta directions, about 10 minutes or until the pasta and meatballs are cooked through. Remove parmesan cheese rind and serve.

Instant Pot Directions:

Press saute and add the oil, onions and carrots. Saute 4 to 5 minutes, stirring then press cancel and pour the chicken broth and Parmesan cheese rind, if using to the pot. Cover and cook high pressure 10 minutes to bring it to a boil. Quick or natural release.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, onion, garlic, salt and cheese. Using your (clean) hands, gently mix all the ingredients well until everything is combined.
Form small meatballs, about 1 tbsp each, you’ll get about 40.
When the broth comes to a boil, drop the meatballs in, add the orzo and chopped escarole. Add fresh pepper, adjust salt as needed, cover and cook high pressure about 5 minutes, quick release. Remove parmesan cheese rind and serve.

Last Step:

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Serving: 1 1/2 cups, Calories: 167 kcal, Carbohydrates: 12 g, Protein: 22 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 0.8 g, Cholesterol: 25 mg, Sodium: 647.5 mg, Fiber: 2.5 g, Sugar: 0.5 g