A Lighter Take on Italian Wedding Soup
- Servings: 6
- Total Time: About 1 hour
- Effort Level: Moderate
Italian wedding soup is a “marriage” of fresh greens, meatballs, and broth, and this version keeps that balance, but with a lighter texture. We’ve swapped ground pork for ground turkey in the meatballs, combined it with fresh breadcrumbs, and baked them in the oven. This gives the meatballs a delicate texture that lends a lighter quality to the entire soup.
Wedding soup is a great choice for a casual Sunday dinner, and while the meatballs are a little time consuming, the overall recipe is very easy to make, and the end result is worth the effort. Serve with some crusty bread and a Caesar salad on the side.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
We believe that great flavor starts with quality ingredients. Here are the small details that make these choices work. For a full list and measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Ground turkey- Though Italian wedding soup is traditionally made with pork, beef, or a combination of the two, we prefer using ground turkey for a lighter result. Ground turkey (or chicken if you prefer) creates small meatballs with a tender, delicate texture that stays juicy without adding extra fat and richness to the broth.
- Fresh breadcrumbs – Using fresh breadcrumbs helps the meatballs stay tender and hold their moisture – something that’s especially important with lean proteins like ground turkey. Panko can be substituted, but the meatballs will be slightly firmer and not quite as moist.
- Escarole – Escarole is the most traditional green used in Italian wedding soup. It brings a subtle bitterness that balances the savory broth and meatballs. If escarole isn’t available, spinach is a good substitute. It’s milder and wilts quickly, making it a good option if you prefer a softer, less assertive green.
- Bite-sized pasta – Small pasta shapes are essential for Italian wedding soup, ensuring you get meatballs, greens, and pasta in every spoonful. Ditalini is our go-to for its size and sturdy texture, but acini de pepe or other tiny soup pastas work just as well.
Prep Overview
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup
Here’s a quick overview of the process, with the key techniques that make it work. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
This Italian wedding soup comes together by baking the meatballs while the soup base simmers. Mixing and rolling the meatballs is the most hands-on part of the process, but keeping them small is important. They should be small enough to fit comfortably on a soup spoon so every bite includes broth, greens, and pasta. Baking them separately helps maintain a clear broth and gives you more control over texture.
While the meatballs are in the oven, the aromatics (onion, garlic, and carrots) are sautéed to make the flavor base for the broth. Once the broth is simmering, the pasta is cooked directly in the pot so it absorbs flavor as it softens (see below).
The escarole and meatballs are added at the very end and cooked just long enough for the greens to wilt and the meatballs to heat through. This short final simmer keeps the escarole from turning dull or overly soft and preserves the delicate texture of the meatballs.
About Pasta in Italian Wedding Soup
We usually cook the pasta directly in the broth, but if you’re making the soup ahead or expect leftovers, it’s better to cook the pasta separately. Stored in the soup, pasta continues to absorb liquid and can become overly soft. For the best texture, keep it separate and add a spoonful to each bowl just before serving.
Italian wedding soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed to restore its consistency. Stir in the cooked pasta once the soup is hot and warm through for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
More Italian Soup Recipes
If you enjoy this Italian wedding soup with turkey meatballs, consider adding these other Italian-style soups to your rotation. Italian Chicken Soup is a longtime reader favorite with tender chicken, vegetables, and clear instructions for both Instant Pot and stovetop; Minestrone Soup with Sausage is hearty and deeply savory, packed with vegetables, beans, and bold flavor; and Stracciatella with Spinach is a simple, comforting egg-drop–style soup that comes together quickly with classic Italian flavors.
Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs, plus more if needed
- 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
For the soup:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 medium carrots, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup small soup pasta, (see notes)
- 3-1/2 cups roughly chopped escarole, or spinach
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands. If the mixture feels too wet to roll easily, add additional breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 4 tablespoons total.
- Roll the mixture into very small meatballs, about 1/2 inch in diameter (roughly marble-sized). You should have about 5 dozen meatballs. Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each.
- Bake until the meatballs are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the meatballs bake, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the pasta and cook until just tender, 7 to 8 minutes (see notes). Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Add the escarole and baked meatballs to the pot and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the escarole wilts and the meatballs are heated through.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
