Italian Wedding Soup Easy Soul Warmer
This Italian Wedding Soup is a modern, foolproof twist on a classic comfort food. It features a rich, savory broth packed with tender, perfectly seasoned mini meatballs, silky egg drop ribbons, and bright escarole, all coming together in under an hour for a deeply satisfying meal.
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Baking sheet or plate
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork or a mix of pork and beef
- ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs Panko works, but fresh is softer
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 head escarole, roughly chopped or 5 oz baby spinach
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup small pasta like acini di pepe or orzo
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the fresh breadcrumbs and milk. Let it sit for 2 minutes until the bread absorbs the liquid to form a panade.
- Add the ground pork, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 beaten egg, 3 minced garlic cloves, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the panade. Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Roll the mixture into small, 1-inch balls (about 30-35 meatballs) and place them on a plate or baking sheet.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until softened and the onions are translucent.
- Add the remaining 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Carefully drop the meatballs into the broth one by one. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Add the escarole and the small pasta. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and lemon juice to make the stracciatella.
- With the soup at a gentle simmer, slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the pot in a thin stream while stirring the soup gently in a circular motion. The egg will cook into delicate ribbons.
- Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Let the soup sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- Ladle the soup into warm bowls and top with extra Parmesan cheese and a crack of black pepper.
Notes
For the most tender meatballs, use a panade (breadcrumbs soaked in milk) and avoid overmixing. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer, not a boil, to prevent the meatballs from breaking apart and the egg from turning into scrambled chunks. This soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For variations, try replacing half the pork with spicy Italian sausage, adding a Parmesan rind to the broth while simmering, or stirring in cooked cannellini beans for a heartier stew.