Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (2024)

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This Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe is filled with plump sausage meatballs, spinach and tender pasta in a fragrant and delicious broth.

We love to pair this soup with my Garlic Breadsticks and a garden salad for a complete meal.

Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (1)

If you’re looking for a quick and delicious soup recipe to warm you up, this Italian Wedding Soup recipe is just what you need!

What Is Italian Wedding Soup?

Italian Wedding Soup is a staple in most Italian restaurants. The name comes from the idea of a “marriage” between the greens and the meat in the soup.

The signature points of this soup are the tiny, bite-size meatballs, plenty of spinach and the Acini de Pepe pasta.

Italian Wedding Soup Ingredients

Here’s the basic list of ingredients that you’ll need in order to make this quick-cooking soup. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.

  • Onion
  • Carrot
  • Celery
  • Garlic
  • Chicken Broth– Low sodium
  • Mild Italian Sausage Links – casings removed
  • Baby Spinach
  • Acini di Pepe Pasta – or Orzo pasta will work too
  • Parsley
  • Oregano

Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (2)

How To Make Italian Wedding Soup – FAST!

This recipe for Italian Wedding Soup comes together so quick, you’ll be wanting to make it all winter long!

SAUTÉ Start by sautéing your onion, carrots and celery (also called a mirepoix) in a little bit of olive oil, until the veggies are nice and tender. Stir in the garlic and cook until nice and fragrant.

Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (3)

ADD BROTH AND MEATBALLS Remove the casings from the sausage links and shape the meat into tiny, bite-size meatballs. Pour the broth into the veggies and bring it to a boil. Add in the meatballs and cook for 4 minutes.

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ADD IN PASTA Once the meatballs have cooked for about 4 minutes, add in the pasta and let it cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the pasta is nice and tender.

STIR IN SPINACH AND HERBS Finally, stir in the spinach and fresh herbs, until they are wilted throughout the soup.

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I love the little bits of tender pasta throughout this soup. The mild sausage gives each bite a nice kick of flavor, while the spinach keeps it nice and hearty.

What Pasta Goes In Italian Wedding Soup?

We’re using Acini di Pepe, which is in the shape of a very small rolled ball. You could also use an Orzo pasta (same quantity).

PRO TIP: Anything larger than these two pasta shapes and I would reduce the amount of pasta.

Can I Make It Ahead?

Yes! This soup is great for making ahead. I think the flavors get better by the second day.

If you want to make this Italian Wedding Soup ahead of time, you can cook it up to 48 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat over the stove top.

Can I Freeze Italian Wedding Soup?

YES!I love making an extra large batch of this soup and freezing leftovers for a rainy day. Just make sure you chill the soup before placing it in the freezer.

I like to pour the soup in large zip-top bags and lay them flat in the freezer until frozen. Then they stack nicely and defrost quickly.

This soup can be frozen for up to 5 months!

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More QUICK Comforting Soup Recipes

We’re big fans of soup over here, so you know I have plenty of delicious recipes for you to try! Here are some more of our favorite soup recipes…

  • Loaded Baked Potato Soup
  • Taco Soup Recipe
  • Quick Vegetable Ground Beef Soup
  • Low Carb Zuppa Toscano
  • Cabbage Soup Recipe

I can’t wait for you to give this Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe a try! I know you’re going to love it!

Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (7)

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5 from 12 votes

Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

This quick and easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe comes together in under 30 minutes with delicious flavors!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 293 kcal

Author: Shawn

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup carrot, chopped
  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • ½ cup celery, chopped
  • 1 tsp garlic, minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth, low sodium
  • 3 mild Italian sausage links, casings removed
  • ½ cup Acini di Pepe Pasta, or Orzo Pasta
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp oregano, freshly chopped, or 1 tsp dried
  • salt and pepper, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté carrots, onion and celery until tender, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Meanwhile, remove casings from sausage links and roll the meat into 1/2" balls.

  • Stir in chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Add sausage balls to the soup and cook for 4 minutes. Then stir in pasta and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender.

  • Add in spinach, parsley and oregano and cook until spinach wilts into soup. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Notes

*Serving size is about 1 1/2 cups of soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 1018mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5138IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg

Keywords: Italian sausage, Pasta, Spinach, Wedding Soup

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Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (8)

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Quick Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for escarole in Italian Wedding Soup? ›

Fresh spinach: If you're not a fan of bitter greens, substitute bunched or baby spinach for the traditional escarole or kale in Italian wedding soup. Add the spinach later in the cooking process, as it takes only a few minutes to cook. Thawed and chopped frozen spinach works in a pinch, too.

What's in Campbell's Italian Wedding Soup? ›

CHICKEN BROTH (WATER, CHICKEN STOCK), BEEF MEATBALLS (SOY), ACINI DE PEPE PASTA (WHEAT FLOUR, EGG WHITE), SPINACH, POTATO STARCH, SALT, DRIED ONION, PARMESAN AND CHEDDAR CHEESE (MILK), DRIED GARLIC, SPICES, FLAVOUR (CONTAINS CELERY), MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, ...

What is the real name of Italian Wedding Soup? ›

Origin. The term wedding soup comes from a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase minestra maritata ('married soup'). Minestra maritata more directly translates to 'wedded broths'.

What is the tradition behind Italian wedding soup? ›

The name wedding comes from the Italian phrase minestra maritata which means 'married soup. ' Why is it married? It's the marriage of ingredients, and the resulting delicious flavor, in the soup! All wedding soups are going to have green vegetables and meat.

What is the most famous soup in Italy? ›

Minestrone is a classic Italian soup known worldwide as one of the best Italian soups. It's got a flavorful broth and a variety of slow-cooked vegetables like potatoes, peas, and carrots. Adding Italian sausage gives it a kick of flavor and a shot of protein, so it's a complete meal all by itself.

What is the closest vegetable to escarole? ›

Escarole is a member of the endive family and has a mildly bitter flavor but hearty texture. It looks a bit like green leaf lettuce but with sturdier leaves. Sautéing tempers its bitterness a bit. If you can't find escarole, substitute curly endive or kale.

How do you thicken wedding soup? ›

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

What vegetable is most like escarole? ›

Escarole Substitutes

There are a variety of greens out there that use can be used as a substitute. For salads, blends of arugula, curly endive and radicchio work well. For soups and stews, dandelion greens and young mustard greens will give you a similar flavor and also hold up well to cooking.

How to make canned Italian wedding soup better? ›

Canned Italian wedding soup can be amped up with sausage.

Italian wedding soup consists of vegetables, meatballs, and small pasta noodles, so the sausage can add a nice kick of flavor. "I always add Sriracha and freshly grated parmesan to brighten it up," he added.

Does Progresso make Italian wedding soup? ›

Progresso Light Italian-Style Wedding canned soup has at least 33% fewer calories per serving than regular ready-to-serve soups*. Indulge in every bite of Italian wedding soup made with pork and turkey meatballs, carrots and spinach in a rich chicken broth.

Is Campbell's Italian wedding soup healthy? ›

Each can of this soup is made to satisfy with nutritious ingredients you could find in your kitchen, like turkey meatballs, carrots, spinach, and pasta in nourishing chicken bone broth. This soup contains 13 grams of protein per can.

Do they eat Italian wedding soup in Italy? ›

Not at all. Today's Italians have never heard of it. The soup originated in Spain as a “marriage” of hearty greens and several kinds of meats. It was brought to Naples after the Spaniards took over rule of Naples in 1501, where it was called minestra maritata, or married soup.

What is the difference between minestrone and Italian wedding soup? ›

It's similar to minestrone, but is made with meatballs; minestrone is usually made from vegetables and pasta. Italian wedding soup is a phenomenal freezer-friendly soup, and it doesn't take long to make – a perfect project for a chilly afternoon!

Do they actually serve Italian wedding soup at Italian weddings? ›

Savory and rustic, Italian wedding soup is certainly lovable. Yet, regardless of what the name implies, it's not traditionally served at Italian weddings (despite the rumor that it's an aphrodisiac for newlyweds). Many people eat it during the winter or early springtime, but wedding season is irrelevant here.

Does Italian wedding soup contain pork? ›

Italian Wedding Soup is a rich, hearty recipe made with small beef and pork meatballs, tender greens, and delicate pasta. This authentic Italian wedding soup recipe takes a little time to make, but it's well worth the effort. To get a jump on things make both the meatballs and the chicken stock ahead of time!

Is wedding soup actually served at weddings? ›

Upon a quick Google search, you'll learn Italian Wedding Soup is not a soup traditionally served at Italian weddings at all (bummer), but yet another Italian American twist on a classic—Minestra Maritata.

What is zuppa soup made of? ›

Traditionally, this soup is made with lots of veggies, beans, potatoes, olive oil, spices, Italian bacon, and Tuscan bread (it kind of reminds me of a minestrone). What is this? The American version though adds Italian sausage and bacon, garlic, and heavy cream in addition to the potatoes and kale.

What is the Italian saying everything makes the soup? ›

Tutto fa brodo (“Everything makes broth/soup”)

This expression means that every small thing contributes to the whole.

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