This Italian wedding soup recipe is made with tender homemade meatballs, tiny pasta, fresh spinach, and a rich, savory broth. Simple, packed with flavor, and perfect for cold, dreary days, it’s a light yet filling soup that warms you up without feeling heavy. It comes together easily on the stovetop and tastes like it simmered all day.

There’s a reason it’s called Italian wedding soup, and it has nothing to do with weddings. The name comes from the Italian phrase minestra maritata, or “wedded soup,” referring to how beautifully the flavors marry as they simmer. I love how the tender meatballs, tiny pasta, spinach, and savory broth all come together in one pot, each ingredient complementing the other perfectly. This is the kind of cozy, all-in-one meal that’s so satisfying to eat and perfect for a chilly day.

Helpful Tips & Variations

• Brown the meatballs first for deeper flavor. Browning the meatballs in a skillet before adding them to the broth makes a huge difference in both flavor and texture. The caramelization adds richness to the soup, and the meatballs hold their shape much better as they simmer.
• Cook the pasta separately for better leftovers. The tiny pasta will continue to absorb broth as the soup sits. For leftovers, cooking the pasta separately and adding it to each bowl keeps the soup from turning thick and starchy the next day.
• Choose your greens based on the texture you want. I tested this soup with both spinach and escarole and noticed they create very different textures. Spinach wilts quickly and blends into the broth, while escarole holds its shape and adds a slightly heartier bite.
• Homemade vs store-bought meatballs both work. I much prefer homemade meatballs for this soup which contributes better flavor and texture, but a good quality store-bought option works well if you need a shortcut. To make it even easier on myself, I always keep a batch of homemade Italian meatballs stocked in the freezer for soups like this.

How to Make Italian Wedding Soup Step by Step

Gather the ingredients: Gather all the ingredients together. Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly coat 1–2 rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine 1 lb. lean ground beef, ⅓ cup Italian-seasoned dried bread crumbs, ⅓ cup finely diced onion, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 beaten large egg, 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, 1 tbsp milk, ¼ tsp salt, and ½ tsp black pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until combined. The mixture should feel moist and slightly sticky, but not wet or loose.

Form the meatballs: Using a tbsp-sized cookie scoop, portion the mixture and roll into small balls. You should end up with about 24–30 meatballs, each about 1 inch wide and smooth on the outside. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs and brown them on all sides for about 4 minutes, turning gently. They should develop a golden brown crust but still be raw in the center. Transfer the browned meatballs to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 15–18 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165°F. Set aside.

Sauté the vegetables: In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced sweet onion, 1 diced carrot (¼-inch pieces), and 1 diced celery stalk (¼-inch pieces). Sauté for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for about 20 seconds, just until fragrant. Season with ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, ¼ tsp dried oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Add the broth: Pour in 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, and 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

Simmer with meatballs and pasta: Add the cooked meatballs and ½ cup dry acini di pepe pasta to the pot. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the pasta is tender. The broth should be lightly bubbling, not rapidly boiling.

Wilt the spinach: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 3 cups fresh baby spinach. The spinach will wilt quickly in the hot broth within about 1 minute.

Serve and enjoy: Ladle the soup into bowls with 4–5 meatballs per serving and finish with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve warm with crusty bread on the side.

Soup Variations

From texture to flavor, there are a few ways to switch up this easy soup recipe.

• Make the soup brothier. If you like a more brothier soup, you can reduce the pasta to ¼ cup. Note that as the soup sits, the pasta will absorb more broth, so you can add more broth to thin the soup as desired.
• What pasta goes in Italian wedding soup? We prefer acini de pepe pasta for this soup, but if you can’t find it, pearl couscous, orzo, or ditilani can be used instead. Cooking time might need to be adjusted.
• Swap beef meatballs for turkey. Ground turkey can be used instead of beef, if preferred. You can also use a mixture of ground pork and ground beef.
• Can I use frozen meatballs? Absolutely. I like to keep homemade meatballs on hand so I can use them in recipes like this, but you can use any brand of store-bought meatballs. I would look for ones that are Italian-seasoned.
• Try other greens. Kale, endive, and escarole are often used in Italian wedding soup. Feel free to sub one in for the spinach, though you’ll want to add them while the soup is still simmering.

Serving Suggestions

With pasta, meatballs, and veggies, Italian wedding soup is really an all-in-one dish and stands on its own as a complete meal. If you want to do a soup and salad combo, you can also serve it with a simple side salad or caesar salad. Or serve it up with a slice or two of crusty dutch oven bread.

How to Store & Reheat

• Fridge. Store Italian wedding soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind the pasta will continue to absorb the broth as it sits, which can make the soup thicker over time. (For the best leftover soup, cook the acini di pepe separately and add it to each bowl when serving. This keeps the broth light and prevents the soup from turning starchy.)
• Freezer. To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely and transfer it to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. For the best texture after thawing, freeze the soup without the pasta and add freshly cooked pasta when reheating.
• Make Ahead Option: You can prepare and cook the meatballs 1–2 days in advance and then refrigerate them until ready to make the soup. You can also chop the vegetables ahead of time and store them in the fridge so the soup comes together quickly when you’re ready to cook.

More Soup Recipes:

• Matzo Ball Soup
• Hungarian Mushroom Soup
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Tomato Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Zuppa Toscana

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