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Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 95 reviews

This Easy Italian Wedding Soup features tender homemade mini meatballs simmered in a flavorful beef broth with fresh vegetables, pastina pasta, and vibrant curly endive greens. Perfect as a comforting and hearty soup, it pairs beautifully with classic Italian meals or stands alone as a satisfying course.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

  • 4 oz ground beef (organic, preferably)
  • 3 Tbsp dried breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tbsp milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1 Tbsp Italian parsley, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt or sea salt
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper (a pinch, freshly ground – optional)

Broth

  • 65 oz beef broth (or water with 1 Tbsp or less beef Better Than Bouillon)
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 stalks celery (with leaves if possible, cut into quarters)
  • 1 large carrot (cut in half lengthwise and into large pieces)
  • 2 shallots (or 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into quarters)
  • ¼ tsp salt, more to taste
  • 4 Tbsp pastina (your choice)
  • ½ small head curly endive (chopped into 1″/2.5 cm lengths, stem removed)

Instructions

  1. Make the Tiny Meatballs: In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs (with milk poured over them), egg, Parmigiano Reggiano, chopped Italian parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix well using a fork. Using a teaspoon, portion out small amounts and shape into mini meatballs with your hands. Place on a plate or tray.
  2. Make the Broth: In a large pot, add beef broth (or water with beef bouillon), celery, carrot, shallots, and olive oil. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Season with about a teaspoon of salt. Carefully add meatballs into the simmering broth without stirring initially, allowing them to float as they cook. Stir gently once meatballs start floating. Simmer gently for approximately 20 minutes.
  3. Cook the Pastina and Remove Vegetables: About halfway through cooking the meatballs, cook the pastina separately in salted water according to package instructions, ensuring it remains slightly undercooked. Remove the cooked vegetables from the broth (these can be eaten or composted).
  4. Add Greens and Pastina: Wash and chop the curly endive into 1-inch pieces. Add the greens into the soup and stir. Drain the cooked pastina and add it to the soup, stirring well. Simmer longer if needed to combine flavors.
  5. Season and Serve: Taste the soup and add salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot. Traditionally, this soup is served alone as a course; consider serving an antipasto beforehand and a pasta dish afterward.

Notes

  • If curly endive is unavailable, escarole is an excellent substitute.
  • The recipe uses a type of pastina called semi di melone, but any small pasta shape suitable for soup can be used.
  • You can prepare the soup broth and meatballs ahead of time, finishing with pastina and greens just before serving to maintain freshness.

Keywords: Italian Wedding Soup, meatball soup, pastina soup, homemade meatballs, comfort soup, Italian soup recipe

Find it online: https://tastybynova.com/easy-italian-wedding-soup-recipe/