Healthy Regional Recipes Healthy European Recipes Healthy Italian Recipes Healthy Italian Soup Recipes Italian Wedding Soup 4.6 (28) 21 Reviews Forget the marble-size meatballs you find in many versions of this Italian Wedding Soup. In this easy recipe, they're full-size, full-flavored and plenty filling. By Robin Bashinsky Robin Bashinsky Robin Bashinsky is a professional chef whose background includes stints at Birmingham fine-dining restaurants Daniel George and Hot and Hot Fish Club. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 19, 2023 Reviewed by Dietitian Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H, RD, is a Chinese and Jewish chef and dietitian who has worked in all facets of the food world. She is a recipe developer, culinary nutritionist and marketing specialist with more than 15 years of experience creating editorial and digital content for top food and kitchen brands. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Tested by EatingWell Test Kitchen Tested by EatingWell Test Kitchen The EatingWell Test Kitchen is comprised of a group of culinary professionals who develop and test our recipes. Our recipes go through a rigorous process, which includes testing by trained recipe testers, using different equipment (e.g., gas and electric stoves) and a variety of tools and techniques to make sure that it will really work when you make it at home. Testers shop major supermarkets to research availability of ingredients. Finally, a Registered Dietitian reviews each recipe to ensure that we deliver food that's not only delicious, but adheres to our nutrition guidelines as well. Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters. Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 6 Yield: 9 cups Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free Healthy Aging Healthy Immunity Low Added Sugar Soy-Free High-Protein Low-Calorie Jump to Nutrition Facts What Is Italian Wedding Soup? Despite its name, Italian Wedding Soup is not related to actual weddings. Instead, Minestra Maritata, as it's called in Italian, refers to marriages in ingredients and flavors. Italian Wedding Soup is a brothy soup typically featuring meat (most notably meatballs), greens like spinach or escarole, and small pasta like orzo or ditalini. The addition of other veggies like onions, carrots and celery results in a perfect "marriage" of ingredients in a soup that's warm and comforting. What Makes This Recipe Healthy? This recipe is full of nutritious vegetables, including onion, carrots, celery, garlic and spinach. This soup is a great way to eat more vegetables for a varied and balanced diet. Chicken meatballs are also a good source of protein, which is an essential macronutrient. How to Make Easy Italian Wedding Soup Italian Wedding Soup is easy to make and we've streamlined it even further so it fits neatly into a weeknight meal plan. Meatballs in Italian Wedding Soup tend to be on the small side which can be a challenge to pull together if you're in a hurry. Instead, we use larger meatballs in our soup to save on prep time. You can buy pre-cooked frozen meatballs to add to your soup or make a homemade batch ahead of time as we do here. We also use baby spinach which can be added right to the soup without having to do any chopping. Additional reporting by Hilary Meyer and Jan Valdez Ingredients 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 ⅓ cups chopped yellow onion ⅔ cup chopped carrot ⅔ cup chopped celery 2 tablespoons minced garlic 6 cups unsalted chicken broth 6 ounces orzo, preferably whole-wheat 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh oregano ½ teaspoon kosher salt 24 cooked chicken meatballs (12 ounces), such as Easy Chicken Meatballs (see associated recipe) 4 cups baby spinach ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Directions Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth, cover and bring to a boil. Add orzo, oregano and salt; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is just tender, about 9 minutes. Stir in meatballs and spinach; cook until the meatballs are heated through and the spinach is wilted, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve sprinkled with cheese and drizzled with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Jennifer Causey Equipment Large pot or Dutch oven Associated Recipes Easy Chicken Meatballs Originally appeared: EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019 Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 415 Calories 19g Fat 36g Carbs 26g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Serving Size 1 1/2 cups Calories 415 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 36g 13% Dietary Fiber 4g 13% Total Sugars 5g Protein 26g 52% Total Fat 19g 24% Saturated Fat 5g 24% Cholesterol 101mg 34% Vitamin A 5270IU 105% Vitamin C 20mg 23% Folate 23mcg 6% Sodium 728mg 32% Calcium 165mg 13% Iron 3mg 19% Magnesium 68mg 16% Potassium 681mg 14% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs. Powered by the ESHA Research Database © 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved