Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 25 mins | Total time: 45 mins | Servings: 6 PEOPLE
This is an amazing soup that you can easily make either on the stovetop, crock pot, or Instant Pot. This Italian Wedding Soup is made with homemade meatballs. For an easy and quick dinner option, you can swap the homemade meatballs with frozen meatballs.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
Meatballs:
½ pound ground pork
½ pound ground beef, 80% lean
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 egg, beaten
¼ c. Parmesan cheese, finely grated into a powder
⅓ c. fresh parsley, roughly chopped
salt & freshly ground pepper
½ c. Italian breadcrumbs, homemade is best
Soup:
1 ¼ c. yellow onion, diced
1 ¼ c. carrots, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
¾ c. celery, diced
8 c. chicken broth
2 tsp Italian seasoning
¾ c. acini de Pepe pasta, uncooked
8 ounces of fresh spinach
salt/pepper
Garnish:
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
How to make Italian Wedding Soup
Stove Top Method:
Step 1: Mix the meatball ingredients until just combined. Then, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls to make 35 meatballs.
Step 2: In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs in batches in the pot and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until brown. Set the meatballs aside when done.
Step 3: In the same pot, add the onions along with the carrots and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Then, add the garlic and saute for another minute until fragrant.
Step 4: Pour in the chicken broth and season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, adjust the heat to medium. Then, return the meatballs to the pot along with the pasta.
Step 5: Allow everything to simmer for about 10 minutes or until the meatballs is completely cooked.
Step 6: Add the spinach and stir well.
Step 7: Serve the soup immediately, garnished with some parsley and Parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes:
For this recipe, you can use orzo in place of Acini De Pepe Pasta.
Keep the pasta separate and just add them to the serving bowls before serving. Do this if you plan on having leftovers.
Crock Pot Method:
After you assemble and brown the meatballs as directed in the stovetop method, transfer everything to a crock pot. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Set to cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Then, add the acini de Pepe and cook for another 30 minutes on low. After 30 minutes, stir in the spinach and cook for 3 minutes more until wilted. Before serving, top the soup with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Instant Pot Method:
After combining the meatball ingredients, shape the mixture into 1-inch balls. Add olive oil to the Instant Pot and set it to saute mode. In batches, cook the meatballs for about 3 minutes until all sides are brown. Set the meatballs aside. In the same Instant Pot, saute the onions, carrots, and celery for about 5 minutes until tender. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more until aromatic.
Pour in the chicken broth and deglaze the pot. Next, add the Italian seasoning and meatballs. Replace the lid and seal the valve. Pressure cook for about 5 minutes.
Once done, flip and quickly release the valve to let the steam escape.
Then, add the acini de Pepe and set it to saute. Cook for additional 9 minutes.
Next, add the spinach and stir.
Before serving, garnish the soup with parsley and fresh Parmesan. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 344kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 1398mg, Potassium: 887mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 8126IU, Vitamin C: 38mg, Calcium: 126mg, Iron: 4mg