This classic Italian Wedding Soup features tender meatballs in a savory broth with spinach, vegetables, and orzo. It’s simple to make in under an hour and perfect for feeding a crowd.
About this recipe
This Italian Wedding Soup is comforting, bright, and full of flavor. It combines a classic mirepoix of onions, carrots, and celery with a rich chicken broth, tender baked meatballs, spinach for freshness, and orzo for body. The recipe is forgiving and easy to scale, so it’s great for weeknights or feeding a group.
Baking the meatballs instead of pan-frying saves time and reduces mess. Spread them on a parchment-lined sheet and bake at a high temperature so they brown on the outside while staying juicy inside. Meanwhile, prepare the soup base on the stovetop and finish by adding the cooked meatballs and spinach.
Key ingredients
Meatballs: lean ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Using lean beef helps control fat while keeping meatballs tender.
Soup: olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and orzo. Any good-quality broth works; use low-sodium if you prefer to control salt.
Greens: fresh spinach—about 3 packed cups—stirred in at the end until just wilted.
Pasta: orzo is used here; traditionally acini di pepe is common, but orzo works perfectly.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C). Combine the meatball ingredients in a large bowl, roll into 1-inch balls, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet with space between each.
Step 2: Bake the meatballs 20–25 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
Step 3: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the diced onion, carrots, and celery for 5–6 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
Step 4: Pour in the chicken broth, add the Italian seasoning and the orzo. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes until the orzo is tender.
Step 5: Gently add the baked meatballs to the soup and bring back to a simmer so the flavors meld.
Step 6: Stir in the spinach and cook for about 1 minute, just until wilted. Serve hot and enjoy.
Recipe
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth (plus more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 3 cups fresh spinach, firmly packed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Roll into 1-inch balls and arrange on the baking sheet with space between each.
- Bake meatballs 20–25 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- For the soup, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook onion, carrots, and celery for 5–6 minutes until softened, then add garlic and cook briefly.
- Add chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and orzo. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook about 10 minutes until the orzo is tender.
- Add the baked meatballs and simmer until heated through.
- Stir in the spinach until wilted, then serve immediately.
Nutrition information is an estimate calculated from ingredient databases.