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This Italian Wedding Soup (Minestra Maritata) is super easy, healthy and so comforting. It’s a much lighter and easier version of the classic Italian dish, but the idea is the same – to “marry” the meat and greens in a flavourful broth. And believe me, it’s a match made in heaven!
Ingredients You Need for Italian Wedding Soup
- Turkey: I’ve tested this recipe with meatballs made of beef, turkey and a combination of the two, and turkey was by far the family favourite. Not only does turkey get much more tender than beef, but it also takes less than half the time to cook. I also prefer turkey because it doesn’t cloud the broth as much as beef does.
- Almond Flour: Rather than use breadcrumbs, I like to keep the meatballs gluten-free and Whole30 by adding almond flour. Not only does it act as a binder that helps hold the meatballs together, but it also makes them nice and fluffy as they cook.
- Baking Soda: The other secret ingredient to the perfect Whole30 meatball is baking soda. Just a small amount will help the meatballs stay tender and light. I also use this trick for my Meatballs in Red Sauce and it’s a game changer.
- Egg: The egg works as a binder, helping the meatballs hold their shape. However, it’s not an absolute must and can be omitted for anyone with allergies. What’s more important is the addition of almond flour and baking soda to the meatball mixture!
- Garlic: You’ll need some for the meatballs and some for the soup. As always, measure this ingredient with your heart and don’t let anyone tell you there’s such a thing as too much!
- Fresh Parsley: For colour and flavour, add some finely chopped fresh parsley to the meatball mixture.
- Aromatics: A combination of carrot, celery, onion and garlic form the flavourful base for this Italian Wedding Soup. I like to chop the vegetables into a similar sized dice. That way they cook quickly and evenly, but don’t turn to mush.
- Italian Seasoning: I like to bump up the flavour of the meatballs with a bit of Italian seasoning. I find the mix of herbs compliments the flavours of the soup without overpowering any of the other ingredients.
- Chicken Broth: Homemade is always best, but if you’re short on time and don’t have any tucked away, I recommend using Kettle & Fire Organic Chicken Broth. It’s delicious, made with organic and free-range chicken bones, all natural ingredients, no sugars, no starches, no junky fillers. It’s also shelf-stable, which is great for anyone with limited freezer space.
You can also use their Chicken Bone Broth. It has a deeper, more robust flavour and is slightly sweeter, but has the added benefits of collagen, more nutrients and is higher in protein. Another option is to mix the chicken bone broth with equal parts water. This way you get the nutrients, but the broth is much lighter. - Greens: I’m a huge fan of escarole here. I think it’s a highly underrated and not often used green, which is a shame because it wilts so beautifully in this soup. It’s not as sweet as spinach, not as crunchy or fibrous as kale, and less bitter than chard. Give it a try if you can find it. Otherwise, go with any leafy green you love.
What is Italian Wedding Soup?
Contrary to the English translation, Italian Wedding Soup is not something traditionally served at weddings in Italy. In Italian, the soup is referred to as “minestra maritata,” meaning “married soup,” because of the harmonious marriage between the meat and greens cooked together to form a flavourful broth.
The soup originates from Southern Italy, specifically Campania, and has many regional variations and household twists. In Italy, the broth is traditionally prepared with pork bones, cured meats and sometimes offal, usually in the winter at the time of an annual slaughter and often around feast days. Bitter greens, such as escarole, chicory, endive or dandelion help cut through the richness of the broth and give the soup its distinct flavour and appearance.
In North America, Italian Wedding Soup took on a slightly different profile with the use of meatballs cooked together with milder greens, like spinach and kale, in chicken broth. It also became popular to add small-shaped pasta to the soup, such as acini de pepe or ditalini.
Can I Prepare the Soup In Advance?
Yes, this Italian Wedding Soup can absolutely be prepared in advance. However, for best results, only add the greens once you’re ready to serve. In other words, make the soup, boil the meatballs, transfer it all to mason jars or freezer-safe containers, and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Then, when you’re ready to serve the soup, transfer it back to a pot, reheat it over medium heat, and add the greens once the broth reaches a simmer. This way, you preserve the texture of the greens without compromising any flavour.
Should I Pan-Fry the Meatballs First?
I almost always insist on pan-frying the meatballs before adding them to a broth or sauce. Especially if I’m trying to make everything in a single pot where the goal is to develop a fond and build flavour. However, this Italian Wedding Soup is one of those rare times where I insist on skipping the browning step and go straight to boiling the meatballs in the broth instead. Hear me out…
- Browning the meatballs first does build some flavour in the bottom of the pot, but it also increases the chance of them breaking apart a little if you try to flip them too soon. This is especially true if you’re cooking the soup in a stainless-steel pot, which takes a bit of practice to prevent sticking.
- The fond developed in the pot is delicious and definitely adds depth to the soup, but it will make your broth murky and dark, which is not the goal here. We want a light, golden, almost translucent broth at the end of the cooking process. It should be rich and flavourful, but also light and refreshing. I find that boiling the meatballs still allows you to achieve a very flavourful soup, so the browning part just isn’t crucial.
- Boiling the meatballs will also save you a lot of time. If you’re making a big pot of soup, you’ll probably need to brown the meatballs in batches, which can take an extra 25 minutes depending on the width of your pot.
And don’t even think about trying to bake the meatballs in the oven first! This will only dry them out and render what little fat they have. Especially if you’re using turkey.
Not to mention the fact that baking the meatballs in the oven doesn’t help you build fond in the bottom of the pot, which is the only reason you should even consider frying them in first place!
Italian Wedding Soup – Whole30, Paleo
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 4 cloves finely chopped garlic, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper, plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cartons Kettle & Fire Organic Chicken Broth
- 1 bunch escarole, roughly chopped
- Dry red chile flakes, for garnish, optional
- Freshly-grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for garnish, omit for Whole30 and Paleo
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the turkey, parsley, almond flour, 2 cloves of garlic, egg, Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and baking soda. Mix until everything is well combined and the meat becomes slightly tacky. Wet your hands with a small amount of water to prevent sticking and form the mixture into small meatballs, around 1-inch in diameter. Place the meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Preheat a large sauté pan or stock pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the carrot, celery and onion, season with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the onion is slightly translucent, around 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cloves of garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, around 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, stir to combine, raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a steady simmer. Carefully add the meatballs to the soup, stir to prevent them from sticking, cover the pot with a lid and cook until the thickest part of the meatball is cooked through and at least 165F, around 15 minutes. Add the escarole, stir to combine, and cook until the leaves are wilted yet still slightly crunchy, around 3 minutes. Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.
- Ladle the soup into individual bowls, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, chile flakes, and grated Parmigiano Reggiano, if using.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
I never leave comments but one of the best soups I’ve ever made! Ive been following for a while now and his recipes are so delicious. It makes it way easier for me to adapt to a healthier lifestyle. If not doing paleo / whole 30 I put a Parmesan rind in while simmering and that was enough cheese flavor for me that I didn’t need to add at the end.
I made this soup this evening. Couldn’t find escarole, so substituted spinach. I am so happy with this recipe! It’s perfection in a bowl. I also appreciate the nutritional values. I have a feeling this will be on weekly rotation at my house for the foreseeable future.
Thanks a lot, your recipes save my *** a lot of times hehehe… My children loves my meals 🙌