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Italian wedding soup has a secret that most people never hear: the tiny meatballs go into the pot raw, straight into the simmering broth, and they cook right there in the soup. No frying, no splattered stove, no extra pan. As they poach, they give a little of their flavor to the broth, and the broth keeps them soft. And the name has nothing to do with a party. In Italian it comes from minestra maritata, which means the greens and the meat are married together in the pot, a good match.
The one thing that goes wrong at home is the meatballs. Make them too big and they take forever; pack them too tight and they turn rubbery; drop them into a hard, rolling boil and they break apart into crumbs. Here is how to keep the tiny meatballs tender and whole: a soft mix with breadcrumbs soaked in milk, a short rest in the refrigerator, and a gentle simmer instead of a boil.
It is a soup you can make on a weeknight in under an hour, and it is even better the next day, as long as you keep the pasta separate. That is the second secret, and it is in the tips below.
Why this Italian wedding soup works
- Breadcrumbs soaked in milk. This paste, called a panade, keeps small meatballs moist and tender.
- Parmesan in the meat. It seasons the meatballs from inside and helps them hold together.
- Chilled before cooking. Cold meatballs keep their round shape when they hit the broth.
- A gentle simmer. Small bubbles cook the meatballs through without tearing them apart.
- Spinach at the very end. It wilts in a minute and stays green and soft.
Ingredients
Serves 6 generously. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the meatballs
- 1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs (35g)
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 pound lean ground beef (450g)
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan (30g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 cups chicken broth (2.4 liters)
- 3/4 cup acini di pepe or other tiny pasta (130g)
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach (140g), roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper
- Grated parmesan, to serve
Any tiny soup pasta works: acini di pepe, little stars, orzo or ditalini. Use a well-flavored chicken broth, because it is most of the soup.
How to make Italian wedding soup
Make the meatballs
- In a large bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and milk together and let them soak for 5 minutes into a soft paste.
- Add the ground beef, parmesan, egg, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until combined. Do not knead it.
- With damp hands, roll the mixture into small balls about three quarters of an inch across, the size of a marble. You will have about 60.
- Set them on a plate or tray and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes while you start the soup.
Make the soup
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft but not brown.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Pour in the broth, bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down until it barely simmers, with small bubbles at the edges.
- Drop the cold meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time. Do not stir for 2 minutes, so they firm up.
- Simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the meatballs float and are cooked through.
- Stir in the pasta and simmer for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pasta is tender.
- Add the spinach and stir for 1 minute, until it wilts. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with grated parmesan on top.
Tips that make the difference
- Keep the broth at a gentle simmer once the meatballs are in. A rolling boil knocks them against each other and breaks them.
- Wet your hands as you roll. The mix will not stick, and the balls come out smooth.
- Stir gently with a wide spoon, lifting from the bottom, so the meatballs are not crushed.
- If you plan leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl, or it will drink up the broth overnight.
Variations
- Chicken meatballs. Use ground chicken instead of beef, with a little extra parmesan.
- Escarole. Use chopped escarole in place of spinach, the old Italian way. Add it a few minutes earlier.
- Egg ribbons. Whisk an egg with a spoon of parmesan and stir it into the simmering soup at the end.
- Orzo. Orzo makes a heartier soup and is easy to find.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the pasta separately if you can, and add a splash of broth when reheating.
Freeze the soup without pasta or spinach for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the raw meatballs on a tray, then drop them into simmering broth straight from frozen, adding 3 to 4 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to brown the meatballs first?
No. They cook in the simmering broth. That keeps them tender and flavors the soup.
Why did my meatballs fall apart?
The broth was boiling too hard, or they were stirred too soon. Chill them first and keep the soup at a gentle simmer.
Why is it called wedding soup?
The Italian name means married soup, for the way the greens and the meat go together in the pot. It has nothing to do with a party.
Why did the pasta soak up all the broth?
Pasta keeps absorbing liquid as it sits. Cook it separately for leftovers, or add more broth when reheating.
Roll the meatballs while the vegetables soften, and supper is on the table before you know it.
Italian Wedding Soup (Tiny Beef Meatballs That Cook Right in the Broth)
Classic Italian wedding soup with tiny tender beef and parmesan meatballs dropped raw into simmering chicken broth, little pasta, carrots and spinach, finished with grated parmesan. One pot, no frying.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan
- 1 large egg
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 3/4 cup acini di pepe or other tiny pasta
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach (140g), roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper
- Grated parmesan, to serve
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and milk together and let them soak for 5 minutes into a soft paste.
- Add the ground beef, parmesan, egg, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands just until combined. Do not knead it.
- With damp hands, roll the mixture into small balls about three quarters of an inch across, the size of a marble. You will have about 60.
- Set them on a plate or tray and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes while you start the soup.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until soft but not brown.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Pour in the broth, bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down until it barely simmers, with small bubbles at the edges.
- Drop the cold meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time. Do not stir for 2 minutes, so they firm up.
- Simmer gently for 10 minutes, until the meatballs float and are cooked through.
- Stir in the pasta and simmer for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pasta is tender.
- Add the spinach and stir for 1 minute, until it wilts. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with grated parmesan on top.
