How To Make The Best Italian Wedding Soup

Today we're making Italian Wedding Soup with pork and beef meatballs. This is a recipe that always hits the spot! Enjoy!
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****PRINT RECIPE WITH INSTRUCTIONS AND PROCESS SHOTS****

Ingredients
For the Meatballs
3/4 cup (90g) plain breadcrumbs
3 ounces (85g) milk
3/4 pound (340g) ground chuck
3/4 pound (340g) ground pork
3 cloves garlic - paste
1/2 cup (60g) Pecorino Romano - grated
1/4 cup flat leaf Italian parsley - minced
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the soup
1/4 cup (56g) extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion - diced
2 medium carrots - diced
2 large celery ribs - diced
10 cups (2400g) low sodium chicken stock - plus extra to thin (can also use water)
1 parmesan rind **optional**
1 bunch escarole - washed and chopped (can sub 16 ounces of spinach)
8 ounces (226g) acini di pepe pasta
salt and pepper - to taste

VIDEO EDITOR:
Billy Mark: @bluecrestproductions

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[SipandFeast]

P.S. - I filmed this a few months ago. I don't keep my Christmas tree up all year long.

[darcyjorgensen]

If you cannot find escarole, I like using arugula as a bitter green in soups (treat it like spinach, though - add towards the end).

[knittingchick]

My Italian grandmother used to brown the meatballs in the soup pot before putting them in the soup because she said to cook them in the broth made them look anemic😂. Then the fond that was created from browning the meat added some more flavor to the broth. Thanks for the video!

[dagnolia]

you are Brave to do this. my grandmother and her two daughters made this DIFFERENTLY than each other (and argued about it!) i secretly enjoyed their disdain for each other's cooking and just ATE at all three kitchens, yum, yum. Lacinato Kale grows VERY easily in the deep south and my grandmother was adamant that all other kale was too bitter and spinach was the Only acceptable substitute. i love that you are so encouraging about change. when anyone (grandmother, aunt, mother) tells you that their way is the only way, it can make you NOT want to attempt it.

[lindab]

Since the meatballs are the most time-consuming part of the recipe, I plan to gear up for making several pounds at one time. Then, freeze them on trays so they do not stick together, and stick them in freezer bags until I am ready to make the soup. Can't wait to give it a try!

[JBO-qgop]

I find that orzo holds its shape and makes a better pasta “leftover” in soups.

[bunnybunny]

I just got around to making this last night, and the only thing I did different was that I made my meatballs out of ground turkey — that’s what I had. (Next time I will do the beef/pork mis). Well, it was spectacularly delicious! This is one of my favorite soups, and this recipe did not disappoint. I do think the parmesan rinds are integral to the final result (I keep mine in a freezer bag.).

[chrisann]

I made it Jim it was amazing the little meatballs were delicious and I just love how you explain everything and the parm rinds make a huge difference

[Bob-bxv]

It's amazing how much escarole shrinks when boiled...

[lisanandez]

I just made this and used spinach, (extra spinach). It is out f this world delicious.

[Highlander]

Funny that James and Chef Jean-Pierre both put out a video for Italian Wedding soup this week. Is March Italian Wedding soup season or something? 😆 Great video and recipe, as always! 👍

[elvisneedsboats]

I decided I would try to make Italian wedding soup and I went looking for recipes. This is the first one I watched and I’m stopping right here. It looks delicious and there’s no reason to go any further. I need to scale it down a bit since it’s just my husband and me and I don’t have much freezer space but I have no doubt it will be wonderful.

[larrycanepa]

When my daughter was about 4 years old, she called Acini de Pepe "dot noodles" 😁

[christiegustafson]

My boyfriend (who is a chef) and i just LOVE YOUR SHOW!!!! I love that your family is involved and the great support of each other you all have!!!! My stepgrandpa Albo DeGiacinto(I NEVER thought if him as 'step' didn't even know he was 'step' til I was in 6th grade another kid told me...I couldn't believe it he was my grandpa end of story)was full italian his mom who could barely speak English taught my grandma how to make her chicken and polenta (which was cut with a thread) was the best thing EVER!!!! This show makes me so happy!!!! Thank you so much❤❤❤❤❤

[rosecityremodel]

I had never heard or use the Parmesan rinds until I started watching your videos! Now I have a small stock pile of them in storage containers in my freezer! 😂 You are so right, though. They are the secret ingredient I love using now!

You can also freeze the parts of the escarole you removed for vegetables stock.

[crystalrowan]

I can totally confirm that since I started making homemade chicken stock (at your suggestion and using your recipe) my soups are OUT of this world. There's just a flavor and silky mouthfeel that just transforms a soup. I love Better Than Bouillon but I use it for recipes that are only using a 1/2 cup for a sauce or something. If you need 4 cups or more, that's a main component of the dish and that's when the homemade chicken stock really pays off.

[susan]

Having worked at a school that has a culinary major, I learned not to cook pasta in with the soup. We always cook it separately and add it as we eat the soup. As you pointed out, this is a good method if you freeze the soup, but it also prevents mushy pasta in leftovers. Your recipes are always so good!

[charliecmo]

Great video as always! This is another classic I grew up on in Youngstown, OH. I realize every place has a slight variation, but growing up we didn't use any pasta at all. It was always a meat (meatball) and greens-type soup with chunks of veggies.

[docacuwatson]

I use a Mellon baller to make my soup meatballs.

[reneepowell]

James, I made this tonight and the fam loved it! I substituted ground turkey and collard greens because that's what I had on hand, but it really turned out amazing. Thanks for making Italian cooking soooo good and accessible for the everyday cook.