We love a hearty Italian meal, but too much pasta can leave anyone feeling too bloated. So what can you do when you want all the flavors of an Italian meal without all the pasta? Well, you try an Italian wedding soup.
It should be noted that this is not a soup that is traditionally served at weddings. The name is actually a mistranslation. The Italian name for wedding soup is minestra maritata. So a more suitable translation would be Married soup, as in a soup that has vegetables that pair well together with the meat that they use.
So, with that in mind, let’s find 15 Italian wedding soups that combine Mediterranean vegetables with meat well enough to hear church bells in your mind.
It’s no secret that it can be a little intimidating to start trying to make an Italian Wedding soup, but that’s just because of the sheer amount of ingredients that you need to include. However, this recipe should be a fantastic introduction to the dish.
What we love about this recipe is the detail that the author goes into for her helpful hints and recommendations – even if this is the first time that you have ever made a dish like this, you’ll find that you can have great success.
If you want the meat to be the real star, then this meatball Italian soup is for you. It can be a little tedious to make all 50 mini meatballs but find that it’s more than worth the extra time that it takes.
We know that most people want a meatball in every bite, so this recipe guarantees that every mouthful is a winner.
This next recipe is the perfect marriage of tender meatballs, escarole leaves, carrots, and tiny orzo pasta. This dish comes together beautifully in under an hour and will leave everyone at the table wishing for more, even though they’re stuffed already.
What we love about this recipe is that it only takes a small handful of ingredients to come together, and yet is totally filling and satisfying.
For the best results, you’ll want to use chicken broth, however, the author lets you know that she’s had success with other types of broth as well.
Something that turns a lot of people away from some soup recipes is the time that it takes to make them. But this instant pot recipe can be on your table in under an hour!
For best flavor, the author suggests using some Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and mustard powder to really bring out all of the flavors of the dish, whilst not being able to taste them outright.
It’s also recommended (in this and other recipes) that you brown the meatballs first in the soup pot in order to add a frond to the bottom of the pan.
We LOVE this easy Italian wedding soup because of how basic each step of the recipe is. If this is your first time creating the dish, be sure to give yourself plenty of time to prepare everything – particularly the meatballs.
In fact, we suggest making the meatballs ahead of time by at least an hour and then refrigerating them so that they don’t fall apart once you start cooking them.
Hannah Klinger presents this next recipe as a humble, comfort-food kind of dish, perfect for chilly autumn nights or winter meals. It’s a great recipe to keep in your back pocket for when the weather turns and you’re not sure what you can make to warm yourself up.
Instead of pasta, this recipe calls for pearl couscous – not regular couscous as that would absorb too much of the water and have the wrong texture. However, if you’re not able to find pearl couscous at the store, you can always substitute it for mini shells, orzo pasta, or ditalini.
For this classic Italian wedding soup, you’ll need ground chicken and sausages – be sure that you take the casings off the sausages before you start to mix them into the meatballs. Again, you should brown them before starting your soup so that you don’t lose any of that delicious frond.
This traditional Italian wedding soup comes from an author with Italian heritage, so you know that the additions and recommendations are coming from a wealth of knowledge.
For example, Suzy recommends that you make both the meatballs and the chicken broth ahead of time because they both require a lot of attention.
The chicken stock should be made from scratch, but don’t worry, she will talk you through exactly how to do that.
Along with the soup, she suggests serving it with a parmesan salad or some fluffy focaccia bread.
Another authentic and traditional Italian wedding soup here, this time from The Kitchen Whisperer. The side of Italy that this recipe comes from is heavily against the use of chicken in the dish, however, if you want to shred some chicken and add it to the meatballs, that could be a really tasty addition (just don’t mention it to any Italian guests).
The last recipe we’re going to look at before we dive into the celebrity chef options is this Italian wedding soup with ground turkey meatballs from Sarah Copeland.
This recipe should be done in about 30 minutes and is loved for how satisfyingly simple it is.
You don’t always need to go the whole nine yards for a dish if you’re rushing on a cold autumn night – sometimes you just need something that’s going to fill everyone up with hearty goodness. And that’s where this simple Italian soup recipe comes in.
Moving on to our celebrity chef recommendations, we first come to this one from Ina Garten. You know when Ina is involved you’re going to end up with a fantastic dish that’s going to hit all the right marks in terms of flavor, and this mouthwatering recipe is no exception.
If the first Ina Garten recipe seemed a bit too complicated for you, check out her simplified version right here. There’s nothing more intimidating than a complicated meal, which is why we absolutely love this beginner Italian wedding soup option.
For a Paula Deen option that’s also a little lighter on the calories than the majority of the recipes on this list, check out this recipe.
We’re back to turkey meatballs for this one, but with a lot less oil, which makes this recipe popular with people who are trying to eat a little healthier.
For a great hearty and warming meal, you need to try Rachael Ray’s wintertime Italian wedding soup. Something that we really like about this recipe is how detailed it gets and how Rachael explains all of the things that go into each step in an easy-to-follow way, so even if you’ve never made the recipe before, you’re going to be able to create a fantastic meal.
The final recipe that we’re going to look at today is Rachael Ray’s mini meatball Italian wedding soup. We find that this recipe is a little less hearty than the wintertime version, which means that it works well as a lunch, starter, or side dish (or you can add a side dish to accompany this soup) – especially if you’re hosting a large party and need something that’s going to satisfy a large number of people, then this recipe is going to end up as a real winner.
Conclusion
Whether you’re headed to a potluck or are just looking for a new recipe to try out, any one of these possible Italian wedding soups will see you right, and might even become your new weeknight favorite.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Does Italian Wedding Soup Come From?
This dish started off as a peasant meal, made from ingredients that they would most easily be able to get their hands on. Most people believe that the dish in its modern form originated in Campania.
What Meat Is Best For Italian Wedding Soup?
A lot of people like to use turkey meatballs, but in a lot of areas of Italy, the making of this soup coincides with the annual chicken slaughter, so this is something that can be added in as well.
However, there seems to be a lot of debate about which meat is best to use, so just go with your heart and whatever kind of meatballs you prefer.
I'm Barbara Hunt, the founder of WomenChefs.org. Being a mom of two, I understand the challenges of meal planning and the monotony it can bring.
That's why I created WomenChefs.org, a platform dedicated to showcasing the skills and delicious dishes crafted by amazing women. My goal is to provide a space where women can find delectable recipes that tantalize their taste buds and ignite their senses.
I hope you'll join me in exploring WomenChefs.org and discovering your next favorite recipe. Let's embrace culinary diversity and try something new together!
