Campbell’s Italian Wedding Soup with Meatballs

Italian wedding soup is a comforting Italian-American soup of small meatballs, tender greens, tiny pasta, and savory broth. This version uses Campbell’s chicken broth for a convenient base, while homemade beef meatballs and fresh vegetables make it hearty enough for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

1 pound (454 g) lean ground beef
1 large egg (about 50 g), lightly beaten
⅓ cup (20 g) plain dry breadcrumbs
⅓ cup (30 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons (8 g) finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 garlic clove (3 g), finely grated or minced
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup or 150 g)
2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup or 130 g)
2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup or 100 g)
6 cups (1.42 L) Campbell’s chicken broth, ready to serve; if using condensed broth, prepare it according to the label to yield 6 cups
¾ cup (120 g) dry acini di pepe or other tiny soup pasta
4 packed cups (120 g) chopped escarole, thoroughly washed; see the substitution note in Tips
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, or less if the broth is salty
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, optional

Instructions

Mix and shape the meatballs. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon (4 g) parsley, garlic, and black pepper. Mix gently with a fork or clean hands just until the ingredients are evenly combined; overmixing can make meatballs dense. Shape into small meatballs about ¾ inch (2 cm) across, arranging them on a plate or tray. You should have roughly 30 to 36.
Prepare the vegetables. Chop the onion, carrots, celery, and escarole. Keep the escarole separate from the other vegetables because it goes into the pot near the end. If it is sandy, rinse the leaves in a large bowl of cool water, lift them out, and repeat with fresh water until no grit remains. Drain well so excess water does not dilute the broth.
Soften the aromatics. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. They do not need to brown. If the bottom of the pot looks dry, lower the heat rather than adding a lot of extra oil.
Simmer the meatballs in the broth. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it just to a boil. Carefully lower in the meatballs, one at a time, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the meatballs gently once if needed. Check the center of the largest meatball with an instant-read thermometer: USDA FSIS sets 160°F (71°C) as the safe minimum for ground beef. Keep the soup at a simmer while checking, and cook a little longer if the meatball has not reached that temperature.
Cook the pasta and greens. Stir in the acini di pepe and simmer according to its package directions, usually 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Stir occasionally so the pasta does not settle and stick to the bottom. Add the escarole during the final 3 to 4 minutes of pasta cooking; it should wilt and become tender while retaining a little color.
Season and serve. Stir in the salt, starting with less if you are using a salty broth, and taste the soup. Add more black pepper or the optional lemon juice to brighten the broth. Sprinkle in the remaining parsley and serve hot with extra Parmesan at the table.

Tips

Keep the meatballs tender. Mix only until the beef holds together, and make the meatballs a consistent small size so they finish cooking at about the same time. Wetting your hands lightly can make rolling less sticky. Avoid packing the mixture tightly; compact meatballs can turn firm.
Choose greens that suit your shop. Escarole is a classic choice and has a mild, pleasantly bitter flavor. If you cannot find it, use 4 packed cups (120 g) chopped baby spinach and stir it in for only the final 1 to 2 minutes. Kale works too, but chop it finely and allow about 6 to 8 minutes to soften.
Check the broth before adding salt. Campbell’s broth and Parmesan both contribute salt, and condensed broth can be especially savory when prepared. Start with the smaller measured amount, taste after the pasta and greens cook, and adjust at the end.
Plan around the pasta. Tiny pasta absorbs broth as it sits, so the soup will thicken after cooking and especially after chilling. For leftovers you want to keep brothy, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls; the soup base also reheats more evenly without pasta in the pot.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this soup in warm bowls with grated Parmesan and a little extra parsley. A squeeze of lemon is useful if the broth tastes rich or flat; add it to the pot a teaspoon at a time, or let everyone season their own bowl. Crusty bread, garlic toast, or a warm roll makes an easy side for dipping up the broth.

For a fuller meal, pair the soup with a simple green salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar. Because the soup already includes pasta, vegetables, and meat, a modest side is usually enough. If you are serving a group, keep the pot at a low simmer only until dinner is ready, then turn off the heat; prolonged boiling can soften the greens and make the pasta overly tender.

Variations

Use a beef-and-pork blend. Replace the pound of ground beef with ½ pound (227 g) ground beef and ½ pound (227 g) ground pork. The pork gives the meatballs a richer flavor, but the mixture still needs to reach 160°F (71°C) because it is ground meat. Keep the meatballs small and check one of the largest.

Change the pasta. Acini di pepe is a very small round pasta, but orzo, ditalini, or small shells are practical substitutes. Use the same approximate dry volume and follow the package cooking time. Larger shapes make the soup feel more pasta-forward, and they may need a little extra broth at serving.

Make it with spinach. Replace the escarole with baby spinach, chopped kale, or Swiss chard leaves. Spinach wilts quickly, while kale and chard need longer to soften. Add the greens according to their texture rather than cooking all of them for the same length of time.

Give it a gentle kick. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the onion and other vegetables. For a more pronounced savory finish, stir in an additional tablespoon of Parmesan at the end. Taste before adding extra salt, since cheese and broth can make the soup salty enough already.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking in shallow, covered containers. The soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The pasta will continue to absorb liquid, so the chilled soup may look thicker than it did in the pot. Add a splash of chicken broth or water when reheating if you want a looser consistency.

Reheat only the amount you plan to eat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring gently until steaming throughout. For food safety, USDA FSIS advises reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check a few spots with a food thermometer, especially if the soup is thick. You can also microwave a portion in a covered microwave-safe bowl, stirring midway through and checking that it reaches 165°F (74°C).

For longer storage, freeze the soup for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality. Pasta softens in the freezer, so if you expect to freeze a batch, cook and freeze the meatball-and-vegetable soup without pasta, then cook fresh pasta when serving. Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator and reheat it to 165°F (74°C). Do not leave cooked soup at room temperature for extended storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Campbell’s condensed chicken broth?
Yes. Prepare the condensed broth exactly as directed on its label, then measure out 6 cups (1.42 L) for this recipe. Different products and package sizes have different dilution directions, so follow the specific label rather than guessing the amount of water. Taste the finished soup before adding the measured salt.

Can I make the meatballs ahead?
Yes. Shape them up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate them promptly. Keep raw meatballs separate from ready-to-eat foods, and cook them directly from the refrigerator in the simmering broth. You can also mix and shape the meatballs while the vegetables are cooking, but do not leave raw beef at room temperature while preparing the rest of the soup.

Can I make the soup without pasta?
Yes. Leave it out for a lighter, lower-starch bowl, or serve the soup over separately cooked pasta. If you cook pasta separately, keep it out of the main pot until serving; this also makes leftovers less likely to become too thick. Other small additions, such as cooked rice, can be served in the bowl, though they change the texture from the usual pasta version.

Why did my soup become thick overnight?
The pasta keeps absorbing broth as the soup cools, so a thicker texture the next day is expected. Stir in a little broth or water as you reheat it, then taste again because the added liquid may soften the seasoning. For future batches, store cooked pasta separately and combine it with the soup just before serving.

Can I use frozen meatballs?
Yes, plain small frozen meatballs are a convenient substitute. Follow their package directions for safe cooking, and make sure the center reaches the appropriate safe temperature for the meat used; for ground beef or pork, that is 160°F (71°C). They may need more time than the fresh meatballs in this recipe, so check before adding the pasta and allow enough simmering time.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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