Italian Wedding Soup
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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. Based outside of Barcelona, we toured their factory a few years ago and it was such an inspiring experience.
Italian Wedding Soup Recipe
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.
Which Pasta is Best for Italian Wedding Soup?
Enjoy!
For more delicious soups be sure to try our:
- Minestrone Soup
- Curried Lentil Soup
- Caldo Verde
- Zuppa Toscana
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Soup
- Harira
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- New England Clam Chowder
- German Potato Soup
- French Lentil Soup
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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 quality chicken broth (I use and love ANETO)
- 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
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
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.
Yes! I grew up on Wedding Soup in my Italian family!! This soup freezes very well. Make a big batch and freeze it.
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…
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!
Fantastic, Heather, thanks so much!
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!
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!
Thanks so much, Nathan, I’m so happy to hear that!
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
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.
This is now one of my favorite soups thanks to you! It’s DELICIOUS!
I’m so glad to hear that, Tamara, thank you!
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.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Nancy, and appreciate the feedback – thank you!
This was amazing!! I’ve had Italian wedding soup at several restaurants and this beats all of them!
Terrific, Cami, thanks so much!
I love italian wedding soup but is it o.k. to call it italian divorce soup now for me?
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!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Barbara, thank you!
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!
Wonderful, Lesley, I’m so thrilled to hear that, thank you so much!
This was absolutely delicious thank you!
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.
I’m thrilled to hear that, Pat, thank you! :)
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!
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!
How much does this soup make?
Hi Harrison, it makes four generous servings – six smaller ones.