Italian Wedding Soup has nothing to do with weddings — at least not the kind with a gown and tux. The name comes from the perfect “marriage” of hearty greens and savory meatballs, simmered together in a golden broth. It’s one of those soups that feels like a hug in a bowl, and once you master the balance, it becomes part of your comfort food canon.
This version is a mashup of Giada De Laurentiis’s classic take and a heartier homemade favorite from Self Proclaimed Foodie. I kept the meatballs small and tender, upped the greens, and added a bit of pasta to round it all out. The result is clean but rich, brothy but satisfying — and definitely good enough to serve for family Sunday dinner.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground pork and beef blend
- 1/4 cup grated Locatelli Romano
- 1/4 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and black pepper
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 8 cups boxed chicken stock (such as Kirkland Organic Chicken Stock from Costco)
- 1 ounce cheese rind
- 1/2 cup small pasta (always Ditalini in the Esposito household!)
- 6 oz kale, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Extra grated Locatelli Romano, for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all meatball ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Use a 1/2 tablespoon disher to scoop uniform portions for easy shaping. Roll into small 3/4-inch meatballs and set aside.
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
- Add broth and bring to a gentle boil. Drop meatballs into the pot one at a time then add the cheese rind.
- Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through.
- Stir in pasta and cook until just tender (about 8–10 minutes, depending on pasta type).
- Add greens and simmer another 2–3 minutes, just until wilted.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with extra grated Locatelli Romano and a drizzle of good olive oil if desired.
Serving Suggestion
Serve with warm crusty bread or a sharp arugula salad for balance. Leftovers make a phenomenal next-day lunch — just thin with a splash of broth when reheating.
If you’re making this as single portions, it’s freezer-friendly with a simple adjustment: portion into containers with the uncooked kale added directly to each one, but leave out the pasta, which doesn’t freeze well. When reheating, just add freshly cooked pasta for best texture.
