Italian Wedding Soup - this comforting soup is filled with veggies, miniature sausage meatballs, and tiny pasta. The perfect bowl of warmth on a cold winter day.
Comforting soup
Making a pot of soup on a lazy day is relaxing. A delicious aroma fills the kitchen and before long, I know I'll be enjoying a warm bowl of comfort food. This Italian Wedding soup is one of my favorites. I love kale but I think I love the miniature meatballs and tiny pasta more. There's bite-sized goodness in every spoonful. Serve with crackers or crusty bread for a hearty meal the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- chicken sausage (turkey or pork sausage is fine also)
- onions and celery
- fresh herbs - thyme, bay leaf, and parsley
- chicken stock
- miniature pasta like ditalini or pastina
- kale
- parmesan
Tips for making soup
- I love using Italian chicken sausage for the meatballs. The sausage adds so much flavor. I use chicken sausage with kale, but any variety can be used. Italian turkey or pork sausage are delicious also.
- Brown the meatballs before adding to the soup to finish cooking. The caramelization adds color and flavor.
- Freeze the meatballs before browning. This prevents the meatballs from falling apart during the cooking process.
- Keep the cooked pasta separate until ready to serve. This helps prevent the pasta from turning mushy in the soup, especially if storing leftovers.
- Any miniature pasta works well in this recipe. I used ditalini, but pastina or even orzo is great too.
- Add the kale at the end of the cooking process - it only needs a few minutes to wilt. Spinach is another great option.
- Garnish with shaved parmesan and parsley. Serve with crackers or crusty bread.
This soup makes the perfect weeknight dinner or weekend lunch. It's ideal for those cold days or when you just need a soul-warming bowl of goodness.
More soup recipes
- Chunky Vegetable Soup with Tortellini
- Tortellini Sausage and Kale Soup
- Zuppa Toscana Soup {Homemade Olive Garden}
- Loaded Potato Gnocchi Soup
- Easy Homemade Tomato Soup
- Coconut White Bean Chicken Chili
📖 Recipe Card
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion (diced)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1-2 bay leaves
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup Ditalini pasta (or similar small pasta, uncooked)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil ((for browning the meatballs))
- 2 cups chopped kale
- ½ cup parsley (divided)
- parmesan shavings (for garnish)
Instructions
Sausage meatballs
- Remove the casings from the sausage. Form each link into 10-12 small balls. Freeze for 20-30 minutes.
Soup
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, fresh thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. When hot, add half of the meatballs and cook until browned, 4-5 minutes. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining meatballs. Remove and add all the meatballs to the broth and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 7-8 minutes.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Add the kale and simmer 2-3 minutes. Stir in half of the parsley.
- Add ¼ of the cooked pasta to each bowl when serving. Garnish with parsley and parmesan shavings. Serve with crackers or crusty bread.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending upon the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
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