Best 10 California Italian Wedding Soup Recipes

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California Italian wedding soup, a delightful and flavorful dish that originates from the culinary traditions of Italian-American communities in California, offers a unique twist on the classic Italian wedding soup. It combines elements of traditional Italian cooking with fresh, California ingredients, resulting in a delicious and satisfying meal that's perfect for any occasion. With its rich broth, tender vegetables, hearty meatballs, and delicate pasta, this soup is a true culinary delight that showcases the best of California's bounty.

Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



Italian Wedding Soup image

For a warm bowl of Italian comfort, try Giada De Laurentiis' Italian Wedding Soup recipe, studded with tasty little beef-pork meatballs.

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories     appetizer

Time 35m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 small onion, grated
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
8 ounces ground beef
8 ounces ground pork
Freshly ground black pepper
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.
  • To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with parmesan cheese if desired.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



Italian Wedding Soup image

Ina Garten uses chicken meatballs and vegetables in her version of classic Italian Wedding Soup, from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network.

Provided by Ina Garten

Categories     appetizer

Time 1h15m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

3/4 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons milk
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots (3 carrots), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
3/4 cup diced celery (2 stalks), cut into 1/4 inch pieces
10 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don't have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
  • In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP I



Italian Wedding Soup I image

Coming from Rhode Island, a very ethnic state, this soup was traditionally served at Italian weddings. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Provided by Star Pooley

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Soup Recipes

Time 50m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

½ pound extra-lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon onion powder
5 ¾ cups chicken broth
2 cups thinly sliced escarole
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
⅓ cup finely chopped carrot

Steps:

  • In medium bowl, combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil and onion powder; shape into 3/4 inch balls.
  • In large saucepan, heat broth to boiling; stir in escarole, orzo pasta, chopped carrot and meatballs. Return to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Cook at slow boil for 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 416.3 calories, Carbohydrate 43.3 g, Cholesterol 86.8 mg, Fat 14.2 g, Fiber 2.9 g, Protein 27.3 g, SaturatedFat 5.3 g, Sodium 1211 mg, Sugar 4 g

CALIFORNIA ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



California Italian Wedding Soup image

This is my variation of a standard recipe. I like fresh basil and a little lemon rind, so those are basically my only changes. This is a quick and easy soup with flavors that impress all.

Provided by DPATEL

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Soup Recipes     Beef Soup Recipes

Time 25m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 12

½ pound extra-lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
2 green onions, sliced
5 ¾ cups chicken broth
2 cups finely sliced escarole (spinach may be substituted)
1 lemon, zested
½ cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta), uncooked
grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Steps:

  • Mix together the meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil, parsley, and green onions; shape into 3/4 inch balls.
  • Pour broth into a large saucepan over high heat. When boiling, drop in meatballs. Stir in escarole, lemon zest and orzo. Return to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cook at a slow boil for 10 minutes or until orzo is tender, stirring frequently. Serve sprinkled with cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 158.9 calories, Carbohydrate 15.4 g, Cholesterol 55.3 mg, Fat 5.6 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 11.5 g, SaturatedFat 2.2 g, Sodium 98.6 mg, Sugar 1.1 g

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



Italian Wedding Soup image

Provided by Food Network

Time 30m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

8 cups homemade chicken broth
3/4 pound ground beef
3/4 pound ground pork
3 eggs, plus 5 eggs
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 cups grated Parmesan, plus 1 cup
2 medium heads escarole, cleaned and chopped

Steps:

  • In a separate pot over medium heat, bring the broth to a boil. In a separate large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, 3 eggs, bread crumbs, basil, parsley and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Mix well and form into bite-size balls. Drop the balls into the broth. Add escarole into broth. When meatballs rise to the top, they are cooked, about 6 to 7 minutes. When escarole is wilted it is done. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 5 eggs with the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Pour this mixture into the soup, stirring continuously, until the egg is cooked.

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



Traditional Italian Wedding Soup image

You don't have to be Italian to love this easy-to-make soup with tiny round pasta! Add homemade meatballs but use ready-made stock and rotisserie chicken.-Mary Sheetz, Carmel, Indiana

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 1h10m

Yield 9 servings (2-1/4 quarts).

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon raisins, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1/2 pound bulk spicy pork sausage
2 cartons (32 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups cubed rotisserie chicken
2/3 cup uncooked acini di pepe pasta
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach, cut into thin strips
Shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. Crumble beef and sausage over mixture and mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 1/2-in. balls. , In a Dutch oven, brown meatballs in small batches; drain. Add the broth and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in chicken and pasta; cook 5-7 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese if desired. Freeze option: Before adding cheese, cool soup. Freeze soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add broth or water if necessary. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 253 calories, Fat 10g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 94mg cholesterol, Sodium 797mg sodium, Carbohydrate 18g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 21g protein.

BARBARA'S ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



Barbara's Italian Wedding Soup image

In a little Italian restaurant in Santa Cruz, my husband and I had an amazing soup with orzo. I tweaked it at home to make it healthier but kept the warm, comforting flavor. -Barbara Spitzer, Lodi, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner     Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 package (19-1/2 ounces) Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 carton (32 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10 cups coarsely chopped escarole or spinach
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley

Steps:

  • In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook sausage, shallots and garlic over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink, 6-8 minutes, breaking up sausage into crumbles. Drain., Add broth to sausage mixture; bring to a boil. Stir in orzo, pepper and escarole; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until orzo is tender, 10-12 minutes. Stir in parsley before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 197 calories, Fat 6g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 34mg cholesterol, Sodium 780mg sodium, Carbohydrate 20g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 6g fiber), Protein 16g protein.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP - SOUTHERN STYLE



Italian Wedding Soup - Southern Style image

This is a Southern take on the traditional Italian Wedding Soup. It's from My Family Table by John Besh. This is the version from his PBS TV show. He suggests that this soup be served with corn bread.

Provided by PanNan

Categories     Pork

Time 45m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 lb Italian sausage (casings removed)
1 tablespoon bacon drippings
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 egg
1/2 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 quarts chicken broth
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce (or use homemade)
1 handful chopped greens (such as mustard or turnip greens)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
4 fresh basil leaves
4 cups black-eyed peas (cooked or canned)
salt
ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Add the diced onion, 1 clove sliced garlic, egg and rice to the sausage in a mixing bowl. Wet your hands a bit and roll the sausage meat into small meatballs.
  • Heat the bacon drippings in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs quickly in the bacon fat, so that they are well-browned. Add the chicken broth, 1 clove sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and black-eyed peas and bring to a boil. Simmer a few minutes and add the greens, thyme and basil and continue to simmer slowly until the soup is hot and the meatballs and rice are done. Taste and season well with salt and pepper.
  • Divide the meatballs among 6 soup bowls and ladle soup into each bowl.

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



Italian Wedding Soup image

This recipe is FROM SCRATCH - like my grandmother used to make it. Brings back GREAT childhood memories!

Provided by Kate DeMello

Categories     European

Time 2h30m

Yield 1 Big Pot

Number Of Ingredients 16

4 skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, cut in half
1 carrot
celery top
2 teaspoons salt
6 quarts water
1/2 lb lean ground beef
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/4 cup cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 dash garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
1 egg
2 slices bread, soaked in milk (sm. amount)

Steps:

  • In large kettle combine chicken breasts, onion, carrot, celery tops, salt and water.
  • Bring to a boil and simmer 2 hours or until chicken is tender.
  • Remove chicken, cook and cut into small pieces.
  • Strain broth and return to kettle.
  • Add to broth- 2 ribs celery, cut small; 2 carrots, grated; 1 onion, diced; 8 chicken bouillon cubes.
  • Simmer 30 minutes, then add to broth: 1 head endive, cleaned and shredded and par boiled 1 minute in salted water; drain.
  • Add cubed meat and meat balls (see below).
  • Before serving, while soup is simmering add very slowly: 2 well beaten eggs to soup.
  • Stir constantly.
  • Serve with flavored croutons.
  • Meatballs: Mix ground beef, parsley, cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, basil, egg and bread pieces together and shape into 1/2 inch balls.
  • Drop into pan of boiling water 5 minutes.
  • Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Add to Italian wedding soup along with cubed chicken.
  • I like to add some homemade pasta noodles or pastine if you don't have a pasta maker.
  • ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1813.1, Fat 48.2, SaturatedFat 18.6, Cholesterol 924.5, Sodium 6841.1, Carbohydrate 45.9, Fiber 4.7, Sugar 10.2, Protein 280.8

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



Italian Wedding Soup image

Make and share this Italian Wedding Soup recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Michelle Berteig

Categories     < 4 Hours

Time 1h15m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb ground pork
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 tablespoon parsley
1 egg
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups fresh spinach, cleaned, stems removed and cut into strips
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon bouquet garni
1 teaspoon chicken soup base or 1 chicken bouillon cube
4 ounces orzo pasta or 4 ounces small shell pasta
1/4 cup grated romano cheese or 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • For the meatballs, combine all the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix until well-blended.
  • Form into tiny meatballs, about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of meat per meatball. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, bring the stock to a low boil and add the spinach. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add the meatballs to the hot stock along with the garlic, bouquet garni and soup base (or bouillon cube).
  • Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the cheese and serve immediately.
  • Note that the meatballs can be made ahead of time, just heat them in the stock until heated through.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 556.2, Fat 25.4, SaturatedFat 9.9, Cholesterol 165, Sodium 973.8, Carbohydrate 36.2, Fiber 1.6, Sugar 5.1, Protein 42.8

Tips:

  • Use fresh, high-quality ingredients whenever possible. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your soup.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different ingredients. There are many variations of Italian wedding soup, so feel free to add your own favorite ingredients or omit ones that you don't like.
  • If you're short on time, you can use frozen meatballs and pre-cooked chicken. This will cut down on the cooking time significantly.
  • Serve the soup immediately with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and a side of crusty bread.

Conclusion:

California Italian wedding soup is a delicious and hearty soup that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is also a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey. This soup is sure to please everyone at your table, and it is also very easy to make. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give California Italian wedding soup a try.

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