Italian Wedding Soup
Tender mini parmesan meatballs and spinach in a golden chicken broth, with riced cauliflower in place of the tiny pasta.
Nutrition per serving
1½ cups- Net carbs
- 5.4g
- Calories
- 309kcal
- Protein
- 22g
- Fat
- 22g
- Total carbs
- 7.9 g
- Fiber
- 2.4 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Turkey meatballs: All-turkey meatballs make a lighter soup, and the parmesan and garlic keep them flavorful.
- Use the turkey in place of the beef and pork. The mixture is softer, so wet your hands to roll the meatballs.
- Simmer them until they reach 165°F (74°C) in the center, about 10 minutes.
Nut-free: Finely crushed pork rinds bind the meatballs instead of almond flour, and make them even more tender.
- Crush the pork rinds as finely as possible (a food processor makes them powdery) and mix them in place of the almond flour.
With egg ribbons & kale: Sturdy kale instead of spinach, and beaten egg with parmesan stirred in at the end, stracciatella-style, for silky ribbons through the broth.
- Add the kale with the cauliflower and simmer 4–5 minutes, until tender.
- Beat the eggs with the extra parmesan. With the soup at a gentle simmer, pour in the eggs in a thin stream while stirring slowly, then let them set for 30 seconds into soft ribbons.
- Mini meatballs
- Soup
- Nice to have (optional)
- Mini meatballs
-
½ lb ground porkleave out - Soup
- Nice to have (optional)
- Mini meatballs
- Soup
- Nice to have (optional)
- Mini meatballs
- Soup
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $16.81 for 6 servings ($2.80 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Make the meatballs: mix the beef, pork, parmesan, almond flour, egg, garlic, parsley, ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper with your hands until just combined. Roll into ¾-inch (2 cm) balls — about 40 — and chill them on a plate while you start the soup.
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Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery for 6–7 minutes, until soft.
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Add the broth and the remaining salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer.
-
Gently drop in the meatballs one at a time. Simmer 8–10 minutes, without stirring for the first few minutes, until they are firm and cooked through (160°F/71°C in the center of one).
-
Stir in the riced cauliflower and simmer 3 minutes, until tender. Add the spinach and cook 1 minute, just until wilted.
-
Taste for salt and serve with extra parmesan at the table.
Tips for success
-
Keep the meatballs small. The name comes from the Italian "minestra maritata" — "married soup", for the way the greens and meat go together — and bite-size meatballs are part of the charm. - Poaching the meatballs right in the broth keeps them tender and flavors the soup. For deeper flavor, brown them first on a sheet pan at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes.
- Escarole is the traditional green; it is sturdier than spinach and needs 4–5 minutes in the broth. Drop a parmesan rind into the pot as it simmers for extra savoriness.
Nice to have, not needed
- A parmesan rind simmered in the broth adds savory depth — the soup is good without it.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 3 months
Reheat: Reheat over medium heat until simmering; add fresh spinach to frozen portions as they heat.
Prep tip: Roll and freeze extra raw meatballs on a tray, then bag them; poach from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes, until they reach 160°F (71°C).
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze the soup without the spinach for up to 3 months and add fresh spinach as you reheat.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosTurkey meatballs
ProteinAll-turkey meatballs make a lighter soup, and the parmesan and garlic keep them flavorful.
- ground beef (80/20) → ground turkey
- no ground pork
5.2 g net · 242 kcal · 23 g protein · 14 g fat · ≈$2.79 per serving (−0.2 g net carbs vs the original)
Nut-free
DietFinely crushed pork rinds bind the meatballs instead of almond flour, and make them even more tender.
- blanched almond flour → pork rinds
5 g net · 307 kcal · 23 g protein · 21 g fat · ≈$2.86 per serving (−0.4 g net carbs vs the original)
With egg ribbons & kale
VeggiesSturdy kale instead of spinach, and beaten egg with parmesan stirred in at the end, stracciatella-style, for silky ribbons through the broth.
- baby spinach → kale
- + 2 large eggs
- + ¼ cup extra parmesan
5.3 g net · 348 kcal · 25 g protein · 24 g fat · ≈$2.92 per serving (−0.1 g net carbs vs the original)
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