My Go-To Wedding Soup (It’s Surprisingly Easy!)

Okay, so my grandma’s wedding soup was legendary. Like, the kind of thing you dreamt about for weeks afterward. I tried for years to recreate it, and after, like, a million failed attempts, I finally cracked the code. This isn’t exactly her recipe (sorry, Nonna!), but it’s pretty darn close and way less complicated.

The secret? Honestly, it’s all about browning those little meatballs. It adds so much flavor. Also, don’t skimp on the fresh spinach at the end. It wilts down to almost nothing and adds a nice pop of color.

This soup is seriously perfect for a chilly evening, especially when you’re feeling lazy but still want something homemade and comforting. Plus, it makes a ton, so leftovers for days!

What You’ll Need

Meatballs:

• 1/2 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese + more for serving
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste

Soup:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 2 sticks celery chopped
• 3 medium carrots peeled & chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup uncooked acini de pepe pasta or orzo
• 1 (5 ounce) package fresh baby spinach

Steps

1. First, get your meatball mixture going. Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a big bowl and mash them up with a fork. Then, chuck in the rest of your meatball ingredients and mix it all up with your hands. Don’t overmix it, though. Form little 1-inch meatballs – you should get around 40-45. Put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot (or a dutch oven) over medium-high heat. It’s gotta be HOT so the meatballs don’t stick. Sear those little guys in two batches until they’re browned all over. This takes about 5 minutes per batch. They’ll finish cooking in the soup later. Set the seared meatballs aside.
3. Now, throw the onions, celery, and carrots into the same pot and sauté for like 7-8 minutes, until they’re starting to soften.
4. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until it’s fragrant.
5. Pour in the chicken broth and Italian seasoning. Toss the meatballs back in too. Crank the heat to high and bring the whole thing to a boil.
6. Once it’s bubbling, add the pasta. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes with the pot uncovered, stirring every so often.
7. Finally, stir in that fresh spinach and let it wilt. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve it up with some extra parmesan cheese on top, if you’re feeling fancy.

Substitutions That Actually Work

You can totally use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef and sausage. Vegetable broth works fine too, if you’re not into chicken.

Making It Diabetes-Friendly

To make this diabetes-friendly, swap the regular pasta for a low-carb option like zucchini noodles or shirataki rice. You can also use less pasta overall.

Tips & Storage

This soup is even better the next day, so make a big batch! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a little water or broth if it’s too thick.