Italian Wedding Soup with Homemade Meatballs

Warm up with this delicious, hearty Italian Wedding Soup, featuring tender homemade meatballs, fresh spinach, and a rich broth with a hint of pesto. This easy, comforting dish is perfect for cozy nights and will leave your family asking for seconds.

Why You’ll Love This Italian Wedding Soup:

• Homemade Meatballs: Juicy, tender, and full of flavor. These meatballs elevate the soup to the next level.
• Pesto & Lemon Twist: The added pesto and fresh lemon juice bring a unique flavor to this soup, making it feel extra special.
• Healthy & Filling: Fresh spinach, pearl couscous, and lean ground pork make for a filling meal that doesn’t skimp on taste.

Ingredients for Italian Wedding Soup:

• Meatballs: Ground pork, Parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and eggs come together for the perfect bite-sized meatball.
• Soup Base: Red onion, garlic, carrots, and a fragrant mix of thyme and sage create the rich base of the soup.
• Pesto & Lemon: For extra flavor, we use pesto and lemon juice to brighten up the soup.
• Fresh Spinach & Roasted Red Peppers: These add color, texture, and a burst of freshness.
• Pearl Couscous: A perfect addition for a little chewiness and extra heartiness.

Dietary Restrictions & Allergy-Friendly Substitutions:

• Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs for the meatballs and gluten-free couscous, rice, or quinoa to keep the dish gluten-free.
• Dairy-Free: Swap out the Parmesan in the meatballs and skip the shaved Parmesan on top. Use dairy-free pesto if needed.
• Low-Carb: Substitute pearl couscous with cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles to make this soup low-carb.

How to Make this Healthy Italian Soup:

• Make the Meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix together the ground pork, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, herbs, eggs, salt, and pepper. Form the mixture into bite-sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
• Cook the Soup Base: In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sliced carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
• Add Garlic & Herbs: Stir in the minced garlic, ground thyme, and ground sage. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add Broth & Pesto: Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and pesto. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add Pearl Couscous: Stir in the pearl couscous and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender.
• Finish the Soup: Add the roasted red peppers, cooked meatballs, and spinach to the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the soup simmer for 5 more minutes, then serve.
• Serve & Enjoy: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with shaved Parmesan if desired, and enjoy!

Tips for Making Italian Wedding Soup:

• Flavor Variations: Swap the roasted red peppers for sun-dried tomatoes or use different greens like kale instead of spinach.
• Crispy Meatballs: For a bit of extra texture, try crisping the meatballs in a skillet before adding them to the soup.

Make-Ahead & Storage:

• Make Ahead: You can prepare the meatballs a day or two in advance. Just store them in the fridge until ready to bake.
• Storing Leftovers: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, just simmer on low heat until warmed through.
• Freezing: This soup freezes well. Store the soup in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and heat gently on the stove.

Italian Wedding Soup FAQ’s:

• Can I use a different type of meat for the meatballs?
  • Yes, you can use ground beef, turkey, or chicken instead of pork for the meatballs.
• Can I make this soup vegetarian?
  • Yes, omit the meatballs and substitute with plant-based protein like lentils or tofu. Use vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian.
• Can I use regular couscous instead of pearl couscous?
  • Yes, you can use regular couscous, but the texture will be slightly different. Pearl couscous adds a chewiness that regular couscous doesn’t have.

8 More Easy & Cozy Soup Recipes You Will Love:

• Lohikeitto (Easy Finnish Salmon Soup)
• One-Pot Pesto Kielbasa Soup with Kale and Rice
• Easy & Cozy Butternut Squash, Chickpea, and Rice Soup
• Quick and Easy Beef, Vegetable & Noodle Soup
• One-Pot Creamy Sausage Kale Soup with Rotini & Feta
• Cozy Beef & Rice Soup
• Easy Wonton Soup
• Pierogi, Kielbasa, & Cabbage Soup

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Italian Wedding Soup with Homemade Meatballs

This hearty Italian Wedding Soup with homemade meatballs is a comforting, flavorful dish that's perfect for any season. Packed with savory pork meatballs, fresh spinach, roasted red peppers, and tender pearl couscous, it's a meal that satisfies your hunger and warms your soul. Lightened up with a flavorful broth and finished with a touch of pesto and lemon, this soup is easy to make and sure to become a family favorite.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Calories 375 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the Meatballs:

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 eggs

For the Soup Base:

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 cups red onion diced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 cup carrots sliced
• 2 tsp ground thyme
• 2 tsp ground sage
• 8-10 cups chicken broth
• 1/3 cup pesto
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 6 cups fresh spinach chopped
• 7 oz roasted red peppers diced
• 1 cup pearl couscous
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Shaved Parmesan for garnish

Instructions

 

Make the Meatballs:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• In a bowl, mix ground pork, Parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, pepper, and eggs.
• Form the mixture into bite-sized meatballs and place them on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.

Cook the Soup Base:

• In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat.
• Add diced onion and sliced carrots, and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the minced garlic, ground thyme, and ground sage. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Pour in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and pesto. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the pearl couscous and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes until tender.

Finish the Soup:

• Add roasted red peppers, meatballs, and spinach.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with shaved Parmesan.

Notes

• Make-Ahead: Prepare the meatballs in advance and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove.
• Freezing: Freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove.
• Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs for the meatballs and gluten-free couscous, rice, or quinoa to keep the dish gluten-free.
• Low-Carb: Substitute pearl couscous with cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles to make this soup low-carb.
• Nutritional Information is an estimate only and will vary according to specific ingredients and amounts used.

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 22gFat: 22gFiber: 4gSugar: 5g

Keyword homemade meatballs, italian wedding soup

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