This Italian wedding soup is a cozy, flavor-packed twist on the classic, made with tender homemade meatballs, vibrant veggies, and a rich, comforting broth. Finished with delicate couscous, it's an easy, satisfying dinner that feels special enough for guests but simple enough for a weeknight at home.
Despite loving Italian wedding soup for years, it wasn't until recently that I learned it's not actually served at Italian weddings. The "wedding" refers to the marriage of flavors. Tender meatballs and fresh greens coming together in one beautifully balanced bowl.
This version leans into that idea in the best way. The meatballs are incredibly tender thanks to finely minced onion mixed right into the meat, and taking the time to sear them first builds a rich, savory base for the entire soup. Pearl couscous makes it hearty without feeling heavy, and a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens everything up so it tastes cozy but not weighed down. It's the kind of classic, comforting dinner that feels just right on a chilly fall or winter evening, and one the whole family will happily gather around the table for.
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Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Large Plate
- Dutch oven or heavy deep pot with a lid: I love my Le Creuset Dutch Oven and use it all the time.
- Slotted metal spoon: I actually have 3 of these Oxo Stainless Steel Slotted Spoons in my kitchen. They're fantastic!
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- Ground Beef
- Ground Pork
- Egg
- Italian Style Breadcrumbs: I typically use Progresso Italian Style Breadcrumbs. If you can't find any feel free to mix one teaspoon of Italian seasoning with plain breadcrumbs.
- Onion: I usually use yellow onion but white works as well.
- Fresh garlic: I highly recommend using fresh garlic. I know those tubs of preminced garlic are so tempting but they just don't have the same flavor you get from fresh.
- Italian seasoning
- Salt & Pepper
For the Soup
- Olive oil
- Celery
- Carrots
- Onion
- Fresh garlic
- Chicken broth: Chicken stock or homemade bone broth will also work.
- Dry pearl couscous: Make sure to buy Pearl Couscous, not the tiny couscous you often find in salads. If you can't find any you also substitute with orzo.
- Kale or baby kale
- Lemon
- Salt & Pepper
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can bake the meatballs at 400°F for about 12-15 minutes until lightly browned, then add them to the simmering broth to finish cooking. You'll lose a little of that browned flavor from the pot, but it's a great shortcut.
Absolutely. I love the beef and pork combo for flavor and tenderness, but the soup works well with just one or the other.
Yes. Acini di pepe and small ditalini are traditional options for Italian wedding soup, and even orzo works well. Just keep an eye on cooking time and adjust as needed.
You can freeze it, but for best results freeze it without the couscous, as pasta can become soft when thawed. Add freshly cooked couscous when reheating.
Fresh spinach works beautifully and wilts even faster. You could also use escarole for a more traditional feel. Or feel free to leave it out entirely.
They should be firm and cooked through in the center. If you want to be precise, they should reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
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Made this homemade Italian wedding soup recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Italian wedding soup
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup Italian style breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ¼ cup onion, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 teaspoon Italian seasoning
For the soup
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 stalks of celery, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 8 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup pearl couscous Can substitute with orzo
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl combine all meatball ingredients. Gently mix with your hands until combined, being careful not to overwork. Roll the meat mixture into 1 inch balls. Place on a plate and set aside.
- Heat a pot over medium high until hot then add cover the bottom with olive oil. Once the oil is hot add the meatballs to the pot to brown, being careful not to overcrowd them. (This will probably take 2 batches). Cook for about a minute. Then flip to the other side and cook for another minute or so.*You are not cooking the meatballs through at this time, just browning them.*Place the browned meatballs on a plate and set aside.
- In the same pot add a little more olive oil if needed. Then add in onions, celery and carrots. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook over medium to medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes until softened.Add garlic, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Then stream in the chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom.
- Carefully add the meatballs to the pot and bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then turn the heat down to low and add pearly couscous. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes until the couscous is tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Remove the lid and add in the chopped kale. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes until softened then remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add any additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot and enjoy!
Chef Dennis
Yum! This Italian Wedding Soup looks super delicious!
Sharon Morrison
Prep time 7 minutes? Lol. Ah No. I started at 3pm. It's after 5pm and I'm finally in the final simmering stage. Come on!
jamjarkitchen
Hi Sharon - thanks for your feedback! I agree that 7 minutes was probably too short for prep time. Perhaps I'm just a very fast meatball roller, haha. My husband recently cooked this recipe on an episode of "Cooking with Tom" on instagram and it definitely took him closer to 20 minutes to get everything ready before cooking. I will adjust the prep time in the recipe. I appreciate your comment and hope you enjoyed the soup. 🙂
Kim
I've made this 3x now and it came out amazing each time. I tried it with homemade meatballs per the recipe & using frozen store bought when pressed for time. My husband & I love it & our toddler. It's a keeper!
Diane
Really yummy and easy to make. Needed a lot of extra seasoning and I added an extra cup of couscous because my family really enjoys the pasta. Served with a little bit of bread and it was the perfect Sunday evening meal. Very filling too! Would make again.
Emily Washburn
How many servings does this make??
ChristinaKohler
Have you ever tried adding unconventional ingredients to your Italian Wedding Soup, such as exotic spices or unique vegetables, to give it a new twist and surprise your family's taste buds?