Nutritious and delicious, simple and quick to make, you’ll understand why Italian Wedding Soup has been an Italian-American classic for so many generations!
Served at every Italian-American wedding across the nation, Italian Wedding Soup is something no self-respecting Italian-American couple would ever think of getting married without it.
Okay, that’s not true. In fact, this soup has absolutely nothing to do with weddings.
But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s superbly delicious. Nor should you let it stop you from serving it at your wedding should you feel so inclined.
So then why the name “Italian Wedding Soup”?
Where Did Italian Wedding Soup Originate?
The term “wedding” soup comes from the Italian minestra maritata, “married soup”, referring to the flavor produced by the “marriage” or perfect blending of greens, broth and meat.
This soup enjoys a long, rich heritage, though very different from the Italian Wedding Soup we know today. Its origin isn’t clear but it’s thought to date back to ancient Rome and then made its way to Toledo Spain, a gorgeous city we visited last Summer (image below). The soup’s Spanish ancestor was a heavier one, incorporating a variety of meats that were slow-simmered with vegetables and without the addition of pasta (an expensive commodity at that time).
From Spain the soup was introduced to Naples, Italy (second image below) where they too used any combination of meats such as beef, pork, ribs, sausages and ham hocks to create a rich meat broth The Neapolitans made it their own with the addition of ancient greens like torzella, escarole, puntarelle, chicory and savoy cabbage. Just as it was in Spain, the minestra maritata was a peasant soup using whatever leftover meats and wild greens they had on hand.
The soup eventually made its way from Naples to America via Italian immigrants who replaced the long-simmered cuts of meat with meatballs and used onions, generally one type of leafy green vegetable and added pasta. And it came to be called “Italian Wedding Soup.”
The earliest known reference to “wedding soup” in American print is an article in the Los Angeles Times from 1925 written by Joseph Musso of Hollywood’s oldest restaurant, The Musso & Frank Grill, wherein he described the process of making Wedding Soup. It has since remained perhaps the most iconic Italian-American soup and can be found in nearly every Italian restaurant across the nation.
This soup’s Italian and Spanish ancestors used the process of low- and slow-simmering meats to achieve a great broth as the base of their soups. In this Italian-American version of using meatballs that step isn’t possible. You would have to make a separate batch of broth using whole bone-in chicken and vegetables. And using high quality broth is really the key to a great Italian Wedding Soup.
I definitely don’t always have several hours to make my own chicken broth every time I need it as the base for a soup. And one of things I love about Italian Wedding Soup, besides its exquisite flavor, is how otherwise quick and easy it is to make. So for this special soup I’m enlisting the help of my favorite broth from Aneto.
Aneto is the most unique broth manufacturer in the world because they make broth the way you make it at home: Using fresh vegetables, whole chicken – nothing else – and then slow-simmering it for hours for maximum flavor and nutrition.
Aneto broths are available on Amazon and in stores across the United States. Click here for a store locator.
Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
Once you’ve tried this soup you’ll be hooked. It’s so flavorful, comforting and wonderfully nourishing. You can make the meatballs far in advance and freeze them so you can conveniently have them on hand when the soup craving hits you. With the meatballs already made the rest of the soup only takes 15 minutes to make!
Let’s get started!
Place all of the meatball ingredients in a bowl or food processor and knead with your hands or pulse with the food processor until thoroughly combined.
Form the mixture into tiny meatballs, about 1/2 inch in diameter and place them on a platter or cookie sheet. Wrap them with plastic wrap and refrigerate them until ready to use.
In a medium stock pot, heat the oil and cook the onions and garlic until translucent, 4-5 minutes.
Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil.
What Kind of Pasta Do I Need For Italian Wedding Soup?
Enjoy!
For more delicious soups be sure to try our:
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Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
- For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground meat beef, pork, chicken or turkey or a combination of them combined with some sausage
- 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs preferably fresh
- 1 large egg
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the Soup:
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 8 cups Aneto 100% Natural Chicken Broth or homemade (quality broth makes all the difference
- 1 cup acini di pepe or other tiny pasta
- 1 large bunch leafy greens roughly chopped (e.g., kale, escarole, curly endive, spinach)
- Freshly grated Parmesan for serving
- Red pepper flakes for serving optional
Instructions
- Place all of the meatball ingredients in a bowl or food processor and knead with your hands or pulse with the food processor until thoroughly combined. Form the mixture into tiny meatballs, about 1/2 inch in diameter and place them on a platter or cookie sheet. Wrap them with plastic wrap and refrigerate them until ready to use.
- In a medium stock pot, heat the oil and cook the onions and garlic until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Gently drop the meatballs into the soup followed by the pasta. Let the meatballs and pasta simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the leafy greens and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Dish up the soup and serve sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and some red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
- Optional (a tradition in some circles): At very end, once the greens are wilted, whisk 1 tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese together with 1 large egg. Stir the broth to get it moving and gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the broth, stirring it gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg.
Notes
*The longer the soup sits the more liquid the pasta will absorb, so if eating leftovers add more chicken broth.
Nutrition
First published on The Daring Gourmet on Jan 16, 2017
sally Fldmann says
I would like to make this soup for a party and would like to know if I could make it ahead of time or no.
Debbie says
I grew up on this soup. It has been a family tradition for years. There are many different versions. My family adds egg. It is a mixture of eggs, flour, parsley and grated !ocatella cheese. We make a pancake from the mixture. Cut into squares and add to the broth at the end. It is DELICIOUS…
Heather says
So Delicious! I made it just now and am eating it as I write this! :) I am low carb so I cooked it seperately and will add it to my boys’ and husband’s bowls tonight (if there is any left – haha!) I used my own homemade broth and added your tip of the egg/parm mix at the end and some red pepper flakes to my bowl for some extra kick! Can not get enough of this soup! Thank you for the recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Heather, thanks so much!
Clarissa Simon says
SOOOOOO DELICIOUS!! I made this for my husband tonight who has always loved this soup. He said it’s the best Italian wedding soup he’s ever had and he ate THREE bowlfuls, so I think I believe him :) Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe and I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Nathan Lombough says
This was DELICIOUS! I’ve tried several recipes for this soup and came upon yours, so glad I did. This is a keeper and will be making this again. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Nathan, I’m so happy to hear that!
Lou Ann says
I’m going to make this today but I was wondering what kind of sausage I should use to mix in with the beef & pork for the meatballs.
I made my own chicken bone broth, but will b sure to get some of the broth u recommended later.
This is one of my favorite soups & cant wait to have some later
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lou Ann, I recommend bulk Italian sausage that comes in tubes in the grocery store or by the pound at the meat counter or butcher. Breakfast or country sausage will also work well.
Tamara says
This is now one of my favorite soups thanks to you! It’s DELICIOUS!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad to hear that, Tamara, thank you!
Nancy Leitner says
I made this soup for an “Italian Pasta Party”, and boy was it wonderful. I tweaked the recipe by using seasoned bread crumbs and adding two little tubs of Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock with 4 cups of water. The recipe made 65 little meatballs and the flavors were delicious. I would definitely make this again and again. My husband asked me to make another pot of this soup for only us. The only problem I had was finding the ancini di pepe pasta. It took five stores until I found it, but it was worth it and really made the soup. Thank you so much for developing this delicious recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Nancy, and appreciate the feedback – thank you!
Cami Weyland says
This was amazing!! I’ve had Italian wedding soup at several restaurants and this beats all of them!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Terrific, Cami, thanks so much!
Anonymous says
I love italian wedding soup but is it o.k. to call it italian divorce soup now for me?
Barbara Fuhrer says
This is a FANTASTIC recipe! I made it the other night using pork for the meatballs, Campbells chicken broth with added “Better than Bouillion” chicken base and a vegetable bouillion cube. I also added finely diced carrots and used kale and arugula from the garden. It was absolutely delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Barbara, thank you!
Lesley says
Wow! My 2 yo and picky 6 yo gobbled this up!
I made a few changes out of necessity. 1. I made meatballs using sausage instead of beef/pork blend (I had it on hand)
2. I could not find Aneto broth so I used progresso. Knowing it would not have the depth of a good stock, I doubled the onion and garlic, added 2 carrots diced thin, a Parmesan rind during boil stage, and tossed a handful of torn fresh parsley in as well.
Absolutely wonderful! I never write reviews…but had to here!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Lesley, I’m so thrilled to hear that, thank you so much!
Courtney says
This was absolutely delicious thank you!
Pat says
I love this soup so much and I’m so glad I found your recipe. It’s superb. I ordered the 12-pack of Aneto chicken broth on Amazon. Excellent product, thank you for the recommendation.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m thrilled to hear that, Pat, thank you! :)
Becca says
I wasn’t able to find everything I needed to make this recipe (subbed Target broth for Aneto and stelline for the pasta), and I subbed meatless sausage for the meatballs, but the recipe is simple enough to have a framework for a delicious soup. The temperature is dropping fast here in Wisconsin and this is a delicious way to use up tons of kale. This is my seventh recipe from your blog (the others Cream of Celery, Cabbage and Kielbasa soup, Potato Pancakes, Candied Fruit Peel, Marzipan, and Stollen). You are my favorite cooking Internet person! Thanks, Kim!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You’ve made my day, Becca, thank you so much for the generous compliment! :)
My garden is overflowing with 6 varieties of kale and 5 varieties of Swiss chard and I have several more varieties of different greens I’ve planted for fall/winter harvests – I agree, soups like this are perfect for packing in a ton of those healthy greens, I love it!
Harrison Fuller says
How much does this soup make?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Harrison, it makes four generous servings – six smaller ones.
Natalie Loftus says
We loved this soup! Thank you for this wonderful recipe and blog post, I really enjoyed the historical background. Thanks also for the information about Aneto, very inspiring.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Natalie, I’m glad you enjoyed it! :)
Erik Thorsten says
Phenomenal. Made the recipe exactly as written and picked up a 12-pack of Aneto chicken broth on Amazon (pricey but worth it). Probably the best Italian Wedding Soup I’ve had. Will be making this again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Terrific, thanks so much, Erik!
Andrea says
I doubled the recipe for the meatballs so I could freeze some. I also made them a little larger. How many should I put in the soup?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It’s purely personal preference but the recipe calls for one pound worth of meatballs.
Candace Nielson says
Absolutely delicious!! This will become a regular in our home, thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Candace, I’m so glad you enjoyed it – thank you!
Cori Landon says
Kimberly, I just wanted to let you know that I finally made this soup and oh my goodness, it was absolutely DELICIOUS!! I even used Aneto’s chicken broth to make it, I found it at The Spanish Table. Everything you wrote about it is true, it’s a wonderful broth. THANK YOU for this recipe, for bringing back memories of my grandmother’s soup from my childhood.
Teresa says
I found this doing a google search for a recipe and am so glad I found your site. This soup was WONDERFUL!! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Teresa, and welcome!
Tanya says
Absolutely deeeeelicious!! Thank you for such a wonderful post and terrific recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank YOU, Tanya, so glad you enjoyed it! :)
Kate says
Excellent! ThAnk you!
Cathy | Lemon Tree Dwelling says
Such a fantastic looking bowl of soup – bursting with comfort and flavor!
Lauren @ Hall Nesting says
I can’t believe I have never tried this soup. Especially since I love all of the ingredients! Will be trying soon!
Brandy | Nutmeg Nanny says
Italian Wedding Soup has to be one of my all time favorites. Your photos are making me so jealous!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Brandy! :)
Çitra Kale @Çitra's Home Diary says
What İ like when visiting your page is İ’am not just get deliciıous recipe, but you also provide the food with the story and the history. thx for sharing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Citra!
Sabrina says
Thanks for the history lesson – I never knew why it was called wedding soup! I’d love to try this recipe!
Sandi G says
That broth looks amazing…and that soup….I can see why Italians (and everyone else too) loves it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I think it’s one of those soups most anyone would love, Sandi!
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says
I love this, especially the cultural side of it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Michelle!
Erren says
I love this recipe so much, thank you for sharing it with us!
Michelle | A Latte Food says
I love Italian Wedding Soup! I never knew the history behind the name–so fascinating!
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
This is my favorite soup of all time! You’ve definitely done it justice!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Ashley, I appreciate that!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
I always wondered why it was called wedding soup haha. oooo my gosh and that Acini di Pepe pasta!! I need to find some!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I know, isn’t that pasta the coolest, Angie?? And it’s amazing how much it swells the longer it sits!
Tricia Fjord says
Oh, I love this so much! What a gorgeous post and what an AMAZING BROTH! I am seriously stunned. Are those big stock pots for real?? Amazing! I can only imagine what that factory must smell like while the broth is cooking. And speaking of good smells, I can’t wait to experience the smell in my kitchen once I make this wonderful soup of yours :) As with all of your recipes, I’ve no doubt it’s going to be delicious, Kimberly :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Tricia, those big stock pots at the Aneto factory are TOTALLY for real! I saw them in person! AND smelled the amazing aroma in the factory AND tasted the chicken broth fresh from the big stock pots! :) It was an incredible experience. To open up a carton of Aneto broth, serve it to my family and to realize how it was made and what’s in it – and to taste the difference – is a wonderful thing. Thanks so much for your kinds words, Tricia – you’re going to love this soup! :)
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says
I have never wanted to tour a chicken stock operation as much as I do now that I’ve seen your photos from Aneto! Italian Wedding Soup is one of our favorites, too. I’ll definitely be trying your version in the future.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Aneto is incredible, Kirsten. There simply is no other broth manufacturer like them. Happy cooking! :)
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
I’ve never actually tried this! That needs to change. :) And those are some gorgeous Italy pictures!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That DOES need to change, Erin! :) This is such a classic soup and for a good reason – it’s delicious!
katerina @ diethood.com says
What a terrific soup!! I need to make this asap!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yes you do, Katerina, you’ll love it! :)
Amanda | The Chunky Chef says
This soup is fabulous!! Love those photos of the homemade stock :D
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Amanda! I know, Aneto’s broth is the BEST!
Anonymous says
I never came across Aneto broth before and now I really want to try it! I love acini di pepe and this is a comforting soup to enjoy on any cold winter’s night. My kids also love it!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It’s such a fun pasta, I love the feel of it, and I agree, it’s the perfect soup for a cold Winter’s night. I really hope you get the chance to try Aneto’s broth. Check out link at the bottom of the post for the store locator to see where the nearest one is to you. It also lists where you can find their products online.
Kate says
Kimberly, I was going to mention this sooner and forgot, this just reminded me: After your last post about Aneto I went to Spanish Table and picked up some Aneto chicken broth and Valencia paella base. I loved them both so much that I now buy them both on a regular basis, especially the cooking broth since I use it the most. I just wanted to say thank you for introducing me to such an amazing product from an amazing company. And this Italian Wedding Soup – WOW. I look forward to trying this next! Hugs, Kate
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Kate, I am so thrilled to hear that!! Our family has been in love with Aneto ever since we were first introduced to them over two years ago. They a very special company filled with such wonderful people. Happy cooking! :)
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
I am 100% Italian, and have to say that I didn’t know the background on why this delightful dish is called “wedding soup!” Shhhh….please don’t tell my mom! Your soup looks absolutely amazing! I think it’s a soup that pretty much everyone loves! And your photos — GORGEOUS! Looks like a fabulous trip!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
LOL, Patricia! My lips are sealed :) Thanks so much!
Alyssa | EverydayMaven says
This is one of my favorite soups EVER! I’ve used some Aneto products before and they are very high quality!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I know, Alyssa, it’s such a great comfort soup! Awesome, I’m glad you’ve had the opportunity to try Aneto! There’s no other company in the world that makes broth the way they do. We love their products!
colleen kennedy says
I’ve never had this soup actually. It looks and reads delicious! My mind is BLOWN by the photos of the stock-makers! I just showed my 12 year old daughter…who has been our houses official stock maker since she was 8, lol! Really! She couldn’t believe the photos either…Really cool, thanks for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Colleen, it is totally mind-blowing! Really, you have GOT to click on the link to read my full article about the Aneto factory tour we took. I’ll tell you, my jaw was dropping open the entire time, it was that amazing, not to mention I was actually getting slightly emotional – it was that inspiring! What Aneto is doing is incredible – making broth the homemade way, a way no other company does it. It’s so awesome. Wow. I think I’m going to go have another bowl of soup :)
Cori Landon says
I love, love, LOVE this soup!! My grandmother used to make this when we’d come to visit. I have loved every recipe of yours that I’ve tried so I cannot wait to try your version of this soup. Thanks so much for sharing this!! And as always, I appreciate the culinary historical backgrounds you provide. I LOVE YOUR BLOG, keep up the great work! <3 I enjoyed the Aneto tour you shared with us the first time you published it and this was a great reminder, thank you. I doubly excited now to try out their chicken broth and using it to make this Italian Wedding Soup.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Cori, I really appreciate your kind words and encouragement! <3