Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place the dry breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over them. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until the milk is absorbed and the crumbs are softened.

Combine meatball ingredients

In a mixing bowl combine ground meat, softened breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, minced garlic, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a fork until just combined; avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.

Form meatballs

Use a teaspoon or small cookie scoop to portion about 1 tablespoon (roughly 3/4 to 1 inch) balls. Roll between your palms to make smooth, compact meatballs. Place on a plate or tray as you go.

Optional sear

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in batches and brown on two sides for about 1–2 minutes per side to develop color (they will finish cooking in the broth). Transfer browned meatballs to a plate. Alternatively, skip browning and add raw meatballs directly to the simmering broth.

Sauté aromatics

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and dried oregano and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add liquids and seasonings

Pour in the chicken broth and optional cup of water. Add the bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.

Simmer meatballs

Carefully add the meatballs to the simmering broth (if you browned them, place browned side up). Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until meatballs are cooked through, about 8–10 minutes for small meatballs (longer if larger). Taste the broth after 8 minutes and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Cook pasta

Add the small pasta (acini di pepe, orzo, or ditalini) directly to the simmering broth with the meatballs about 8–10 minutes before serving, or according to package instructions for al dente. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Note: if you prefer leftover-friendly soup, cook the pasta separately and add to bowls when serving to avoid sogginess.

Add greens

About 2–3 minutes before the end of the pasta cooking time, stir in the chopped spinach or escarole. Cook until wilted and tender. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Finish and serve

Remove the bay leaf. Stir in 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice if using and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Ladle soup into bowls, making sure each bowl gets meatballs, pasta, and greens. Sprinkle each serving with grated Parmesan and extra parsley. Serve hot.

Storage note: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. If pasta was cooked in the soup, expect it to absorb broth — refresh with a splash of hot broth or water when reheating.