Italian Wedding-Style Soup – One Pot
There is something about Italian wedding-style soup that just feels like comfort in a bowl. Tiny, tender meatballs. Little pearls of pasta. Fresh spinach. And that salty finish of freshly grated parmesan on top. It’s simple, classic, and honestly one of those soups that tastes like you put in way more effort than you did.
This is my version — easy enough for a weeknight, but special enough to serve when you have people over.
How to Make the Perfect Mini Meatballs
The key to authentic Italian wedding-style soup is the tiny meatballs. I mix:
- ¾ lb ground beef
- 1 egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
- Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
Roll them small — about ½ inch — because they’ll expand slightly as they cook. I like to brown them in olive oil first. It adds so much flavor to the soup and gives the meatballs that beautiful golden exterior. Once browned, set them aside while you build the soup.
Building Flavor in the Broth
In the same pot, sauté:
- 1 chopped yellow onion
- 2 chopped carrots
- 2 chopped celery stalks
Let them soften and get fragrant before adding salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and 5 cloves of minced garlic. Garlic goes in after the veggies so it doesn’t burn.
Pour in 7 cups of chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil.
The Pasta & Spinach Finish
Add ¾ cup acini di pepe and cook until al dente. Don’t overcook — the pasta will continue to soften in the hot broth.
Return the browned meatballs to the pot and simmer until fully cooked through. Finish with 2 cups of fresh spinach, letting it wilt just before serving.
Top every bowl with freshly grated parmesan. Always. If you don’t already have one, these handheld cheese graters are the absolute best!
This is cozy, nostalgic, and one of those soups that tastes even better the next day.
Italian Wedding-Style Soup
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- ¾ lb ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- olive oil for browning
For the Soup
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 7 cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup acini di pepe
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- salt and pepper to taste
- freshy grated parmesan for topping
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Roll into small ½-inch meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown meatballs on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
- Return meatballs to the pot and simmer until cooked through (about 5–7 minutes).
- Add acini di pepe and cook according to package instructions, until just al dente.
- Stir in fresh spinach and let wilt.
- Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
- Keep meatballs small for authentic texture.
- Cook pasta just to al dente — it will continue to soften in broth.
- This soup thickens as it sits; add extra broth when reheating if needed.