Classic Italian Wedding Soup
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This Italian Wedding Soup is one of those classic recipes that has stood the test of time for good reason – a generous amount of wilted escarole (one of my favorite greens, which is the star in Utica Greens) harmoniously balanced with tender mini meatballs in a savory homemade chicken broth (or store-bought), creating the perfect bowl of comfort food.
The greens aren’t just a garnish here – they’re an essential component that adds both nutrition and that perfect pleasant bitterness that makes this soup truly special.
Want to make it super easy? Substitute beans for the meatballs or add diced chicken, but never skimp on those greens!
It’s the kind of basic, beautiful recipe that welcomes customization (I’ve made it with everything from tiny pasta to white beans), but the key, in my humble opinion, is maintaining a generous ratio of greens to other ingredients. The escarole should be abundant – this isn’t a pasta soup with a few token leaves floating around!
No escarole? That’s okay – use other greens instead like kale, swiss chard, or spinach, which is especially popular in areas where you cannot find escarole.
While my kitchen regularly turns out other Italian soups (like my Lentil Stew and that cozy Traditional Minestrone), there’s something special about this soup, which is an automatic win in my book!
About the Name: A Case of Lost in Translation
I was always very confused by the name Italian Wedding Soup (“minestra maritata”) since my mom, being from Italy, would never ever ever call it Wedding soup.
Then I found out that the name actually comes from the Italian word “maritata” meaning “married” – but it refers to the perfect marriage of ingredients: the harmonious combination of meat (the little meatballs) and greens (traditionally escarole) in the soup. This idea originated in Naples, where cooks combine leftover meat with leftover vegetables or dark leafy greens.
Over time, this rustic dish evolved into the more refined version we know today in Italian American cuisine, with its signature tiny meatballs and escarole. The mistranslation of “maritata” to “wedding” has led to the common misconception that this soup is served at Italian weddings.
Why Make This
- Ready in under 45 minutes but tastes like it simmered all day
- Perfect make-ahead meal – flavors improve overnight
- Easily customizable with pasta or beans to make a one-pot meal
- Use “lazy meatballs” (ie, form sausage meat into small balls) and cook your greens ahead to make this even faster!
Ingredient Notes
Italian Wedding Soup, like many Italian American classics, varies from home to home, with many families claiming their “true” version.
While cooks might customize it with their preferred pasta, greens, or meatball recipe, the heart of the Italian American version remains consistent: tiny meatballs and greens (traditionally escarole) swimming in rich chicken broth, all finished with a generous dusting of Parmesan cheese.
Escarole: Look for fresh, bright green heads with minimal browning. If you can’t find escarole, curly endive, spinach, chard, or kale make good substitutes.
Meatballs: While homemade mini meatballs are traditional, you can use store-bought cocktail-size meatballs in a pinch. I often use turkey meatballs, which work well for a lighter version. You can also use beans, diced chicken, or lazy meatballs, which are little balls of sausage (meat is removed from casing and rolled into balls).
Chicken Broth: Use low-sodium broth to better control salt levels. Homemade broth elevates the soup and takes it to another level, but it isn’t essential.
Popular Add-Ins:
- Small pasta shapes (acini di pepe, orzo, small shells) – use 1 cup dried
- Cannellini beans – 1-2 cans, drained and rinsed.
- Extra vegetables: celery or onions are added in many versions. I keep mine simple.
- Beaten egg with grated cheese and drizzle in for stracciatella-style soup.
Methods Overview
This soup comes together in stages, starting with blanching the escarole to cook the greens. The flavor base builds with garlic and carrots before adding the broth. Meatballs cook directly in the simmering broth, infusing it with flavor while staying tender.
Optional pasta or beans go in near the end, with pasta timing varying by shape chosen. The soup finishes with a shower of Parmesan cheese, which melts slightly into the broth for added richness.
Tips and Techniques
- Blanch escarole in salty water – it should taste like the sea
- If using pasta, I like to cook it separately for leftovers to prevent it from getting mushy
- For deeper flavor, sauté carrots until they start to caramelize
- Freeze the soup without pasta (if using) for best results
- Add more broth if you want it soupy, or keep it as is for a heartier bowl with more goodies than broth.
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
📖 Recipe
Hearty Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound (453.59 g) escarole Roughly chopped and cleaned; about two medium-sized heads in 1 pound.
See NOTE 1.
- 2 tbsp (28 g) olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 0.5 cup (64 g) carrots diced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1.5 quarts (1.42 l) chicken broth 1 quart = 32 fluid ounces = 4 cups
- 0.5 pound https://feelingfoodish.com/perfect-mini-meatballs/ or lazy meatballs See NOTE 2 for Lazy Meatballs.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt See NOTE 3
For Serving (optional)
Optional Add-Ins (see NOTE 4)
- 1 cup (60 g) pasta uncooked
- 15 oz (425.24 g) cannellini beans canned
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
Blanche the Escarole:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil
- Add cleaned, chopped escarole and cook for 15 minutes or until tender and cooked.
- Drain and set aside. After cool enough to handle, chop and set aside.
To Assemble the Soup
- In a large soup pot (~6-quart capacity), heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, add sliced garlic, and sauté for 10 to 20 seconds. Be careful not to burn. I take it out as soon as I smell the garlic aroma.
- Add diced carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add red pepper flakes and black pepper and cook for 30 seconds
- Add the chicken broth and the blanched chopped escarole and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the Mini Meatballs:
- Add the meatballs into the simmering broth (if you have uncooked meatballs or lazy meatballs, they can be dropped directly into the boiling soup to cook for about 4 or 5 minutes; if they are frozen, boil until defrosted and heated through).
Optional Additions (usually choose one only):
- Two options: Small pasta (like acini di pepe, orzo, or small shells): (1). Add 1 cup dry pasta to the soup and cook until al dente (see pasta box directions for time). (2). For the best texture, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls when serving – this keeps the pasta perfectly al dente and prevents it from becoming waterlogged in leftover soup.
- White beans: Add 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- Eggs: When the soup is gently simmering, slowly drizzle beaten eggs into the broth while stirring in one direction to create delicate ribbons.
Final steps:
- Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve hot with optional additional grated Parmesan cheese on the side
Notes
- Traditionally, pasta and beans are not used together.
- If using pasta, you may want to add an extra cup of broth as the pasta will absorb liquid.
- Alternatively, you can cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls if you plan to have leftovers (it also prevents the pasta from getting too soft over time).
- Greens: Replace escarole with curly endive, spinach (add last), kale (needs longer cooking), or Swiss chard
- Protein: Turkey/chicken meatballs, beef-pork mix, diced chicken, or white beans (vegetarian)
- Broth: Use vegetable/homemade/canned broth or bouillon cubes