Best 7 Italian Wedding Soup With Orzo Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Italian wedding soup, also known as minestra maritata, is a classic Italian dish that is often served during special occasions such as weddings and holidays. It is a hearty and flavorful soup that is made with a variety of ingredients, including ground beef, Italian sausage, escarole, spinach, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, chicken broth, beef broth, tomatoes, orzo, and Parmesan cheese. The soup is typically seasoned with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs, such as basil, oregano, and thyme. Italian wedding soup is a delicious and comforting dish that is sure to please everyone at the table.

Let's cook with our recipes!

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP WITH ORZO AND MEATBALLS



Italian Wedding Soup with Orzo and Meatballs image

There are endless variations on this soup, but the main elements are meatballs and greens. In our recipe, we make meatballs of ground beef and pork, and we add plenty of fresh herbs and kale for the green component. While the name indicates that the soup might be served at an Italian wedding, it is actually a mistranslation of minestra maritata, which refers to the "marriage" of greens and meat in the soup.

Time 50m

Yield Serves 5 to 6

Number Of Ingredients 24

Meatballs
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound lean ground pork
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
grated nutmeg
paprika
Soup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (28.0-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo
2 cups shredded kale

Steps:

  • For the meatballs, combine beef, pork, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, egg, nutmeg, and paprika in a large bowl and use your hands to mix well.
  • Use a teaspoon to measure out meat for even sized meatballs.
  • With damp hands, shape them into 1-inch balls and transfer them to a large plate.
  • Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
  • For the soup, melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.
  • Add onion, carrots, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until translucent and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
  • Stir in broth, tomatoes, and 2 cups water.
  • Cover and cook 10 minutes over medium heat or until soup comes to a boil.
  • Add meatballs and orzo to the boiling soup and stir to make sure they are fully submerged.
  • Cover and simmer until the meatballs and orzo are fully cooked, about 15 minutes over medium heat.
  • Stir in kale and cook just until wilted, about 3 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 420 calories, Fat 12 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Cholesterol 95 milligrams, Sodium 680 milligrams, Carbohydrate 53 grams, Protein 25 grams

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 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

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



Italian Wedding Soup image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
3 cups fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
1 parmesan cheese rind, plus 1 tablespoon grated parmesan, plus more for topping
1/2 pound ground pork
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (preferably panko)
3/4 cup orzo
8 ounces baby spinach (about 8 cups)

Steps:

  • Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add half of the garlic and 1 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and sage; cook 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, 3 cups water and the parmesan rind and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, mix the pork, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon grated parmesan, the remaining garlic and the remaining 1 teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and sage in a bowl. Form into 1-inch meatballs.
  • Increase the heat to medium high and bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the orzo and cook 6 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook until they are firm and float to the top, about 4 more minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 more minute. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with parmesan.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 350, Fat 18 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Cholesterol 62 milligrams, Sodium 304 milligrams, Carbohydrate 29 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 19 grams

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP WITH ORZO



Italian Wedding Soup with Orzo image

Hearty and satisfying meatball and vegetable soup.

Provided by Elaine Benoit

Categories     Soup

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 15

4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1 onion (medium, chopped in chunks)
2 carrots (chopped in chunks)
1 pound ground chicken or beef
1 egg
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
32 ounces chicken broth
1/2 cup orzo (heaping)
2 cups baby spinach (or more)

Steps:

  • Heat a medium stock pot on medium heat
  • Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat
  • Add onion and carrots, sauté for 10 minutes
  • Meanwhile put ground chicken in a mixing bowl and add the egg, garlic powder, onion powder, tarragon, basil, salt, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs
  • Mix together and start rolling the meat in medium size or smaller meatballs
  • With a wooden spatula push the veggies to the edges of the stock pot and add 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Place the meatballs in the pan and let them brown a little. Be careful stirring the meatballs around as you don't want to break them up
  • Brown the meatballs up to 10 minutes
  • Add chicken broth and bring it to a simmer
  • Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Add orzo and cook for 8 minutes
  • Add the spinach and stir it around for 2 minutes
  • Ladle soup in bowls
  • Serve
  • Spoon some in your mouth
  • Smile
  • Enjoy

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 serving, Calories 270 kcal, Carbohydrate 21 g, Protein 19 g, Fat 17 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Cholesterol 93 mg, Sodium 823 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 2 g

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.

PARTY ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP



Party Italian Wedding Soup image

A large batch of traditional Italian Wedding soup. This soup offers plenty of meat, carbohydrates and veggies. Perfect with Italian bread. For the pasta, I use acini di pepe, but you could use any small shape you desire, like shells or orzo.

Provided by Chuck

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

Time 1h15m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 onions, chopped
2 cups chopped carrot
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
3 ounces dry pasta
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

  • In a large pot over medium heat, combine the chicken broth, spinach, onions, carrots and celery. Mix well and allow to simmer.
  • In a separate large bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs and egg and mix well. Form mixture into 1/2 inch diameter meatballs and carefully drop them into the soup.
  • Put chunks of chicken breast into the soup and reduce heat to low. Allow the soup to simmer for 1 hour. Add the pasta 30 minutes before serving and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 260.3 calories, Carbohydrate 17 g, Cholesterol 81 mg, Fat 12.2 g, Fiber 2.3 g, Protein 19.7 g, SaturatedFat 4.6 g, Sodium 732.5 mg, Sugar 3.6 g

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients. Fresh vegetables, flavorful broth, and tender meatballs make all the difference in this soup.
  • Don't overcrowd the pot. If you add too many ingredients at once, the soup will become watery and bland. Add the meatballs and vegetables in batches, and cook them until they are tender before adding the next batch.
  • Season to taste. Italian wedding soup is a versatile dish that can be seasoned to your liking. Add more garlic, herbs, or Parmesan cheese if you like.
  • Serve immediately. Italian wedding soup is best served hot, so make sure to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs. A sprinkling of fresh parsley, basil, or oregano adds a pop of color and flavor to the soup.

Conclusion:

Italian wedding soup is a delicious and hearty soup that is perfect for a cold winter day. It is also a relatively easy soup to make, so it is a great option for busy weeknights. With its combination of tender meatballs, flavorful broth, and colorful vegetables, Italian wedding soup is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.

Related Topics