Italian Wedding Soup

Winter soup season is upon us and one of my favorite soups is this version of Italian Wedding Soup, made with cheese tortellini and frozen Italian meatballs.  It can be made with absolutely minimal effort by choosing prepared ingredients from the grocery store.  

Assemble the ingredients, and in approximately 40 minutes you will have a hearty, delicious soup.   This is the number one requested soup in my family, so I am confident your family will love it as well.

A Quick, Hearty Soup Made with Tortellini and Meatballs

When I'm in a hurry to make this soup I make it completely with store-bought prepared ingredients including frozen meatballs. It is quick and delicious. You'll love how easy this soup is to make.

Tips for Success

For a quick soup use store-bought, frozen meatballs and store-bought chicken broth. When I have a little extra time I'll make my own chicken stock for a deeper, richer chicken flavor. Occasionally,  I'll make my own chicken meatballs, as well.  I'm including the recipe for my chicken meatballs in the recipe link in case you want ever to make your own meatballs.

For additional versatility, substitute other forms of pasta in the soup.  I like to use either orzo or tubetini when I'm changing it up.  

Escarole is a nice substitution for spinach.  Be sure to chop the escarole before adding it to the broth and know that it will take longer than the spinach to cook. 

Be sure to taste as you go. One thing you'll want to be careful about is the amount of salt you use.  The amount of sodium in your chicken broth will determine how much salt you need to add.  The only way to tell how much salt you need is to taste the soup.  A tablespoon of salt usually works for me, but you may need more or less.

Your choice of chicken broth is important. Take the time to find a good store brand or make your own. 

The pasta will absorb your broth. Cook the pasta separately from your soup and add it to your soup bowl just before serving to keep your pasta from absorbing all the broth.  Cooking the tortellini in the soup works well if you are going to serve the soup right away.  If not, the tortellini will absorb the broth and you may find yourself with less broth than you like.  You can cook the tortellini separately in another pot and then add it to the soup just before serving.

How to Make Tortellini and Meatball Soup Video

More Favorite Soup Recipes

Sausage and Kale Soup

Red Lentil Soup

Easy Vegetable Soup

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

quick soup, winter soup, tortellini soup, meatball soup, Italian Wedding Soup

dinner

Italian

Yield: 8 servings

Author: Donna Urso

Tortellini and Meatball Soup

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min

A quick, easy soup inspired by Italian wedding soup, ready in 40 minutes.

Ingredients

For the Soup

• 24, 1/2-ounce Italian meatballs (your own or frozen)
• 1 pound of carrots, diced (fresh or frozen)
• 1 large (20 ounce) package of fresh cheese tortellini
• 1 medium onion, chopped (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (1 package), stems removed
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried basil (or Italian seasoning)
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan cheese, optional

For the Chicken Meatballs

• To make your own chicken meatballs:
• Early in the day:
• 1 pound of ground chicken breast
• a generous handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

To Make the Soup

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and tender.
2. Add the broth, water, and carrots to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for five minutes. Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to taste. One tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper usually work for me.
3. Add the meatballs (no need to thaw) to the pot and cook for 18 minutes.
4. Add the tortellini, parsley and basil. Cook gently for 8 minutes, until the tortellini is tender.
5. Stir in the spinach and remove the pot from the heat. Cover the pot and let stand until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with some grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Add some crusty bread for dunking.

To Make the Chicken Meatballs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Combine gently with a fork.
3. Form into small balls about 1/2 inch in size. Use a small scoop to help form the balls, targeting a total of 40 meatballs.
4. Place the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.

Notes

The tortellini will absorb the broth as it sits in the soup. You may want to cook the tortellini separately and add it to your bowl and then top it with the soup.

Another option is to add additional chicken broth to the pot when you reheat the soup.

Recommended Products:

Lodge 6 Quart Pot

Nutrition Facts

Calories

408.55

Fat (grams)

25.52

Sat. Fat (grams)

8.07

Carbs (grams)

26.09

Fiber (grams)

7.58

Net carbs

18.51

Sugar (grams)

6.55

Protein (grams)

23.65

Sodium (milligrams)

870.61

Cholesterol (grams)

62.06

Please use this nutritional information as a guide only.

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