If I could eat this soup every single night, I would be the happiest person on Earth! My Comforting Italian Wedding Soup is a rich, delicious soup that’s sure to satisfy even the pickiest eaters (trust me, with two little boys, I’m no stranger to picky eaters!) This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo-friendly, so it’s truly perfect for everyone!
Now, I know what you’re thinking; you’re looking at this recipe and wondering how an Italian Wedding Soup without the cheese can even be considered an Italian Wedding Soup. And I’m here to tell you that cheese or no cheese, this recipe is too good to pass up.
I’ve been making it for my family non-stop lately, and even after eating it for four days in a row, they still can’t get enough. It’s one of those soups that has so many different “things” in it that truly caters to every mood. Craving hearty and filling? We’ve got meatballs for that! Or how about carb-y and comforting? The gluten-free orzo will satisfy that craving! Want something vibrant and fresh? This soup is loaded with veggies, like spinach, onion, carrots, and celery. Yum!
Plus, this soup is perfect for meal prepping. You can make the soup and the meatballs ahead of time, and store them in the fridge. Then, when you’re ready to eat, simply reheat your soup on the stove or in the microwave, and you’ve got a comforting cup of Italian Wedding Soup ready within minutes!
What You Need to Make This Italian Wedding Soup
- Organic Ground Beef: To make our meatballs, we need ground beef. I highly recommend using organic, grass-fed beef, if possible. It’s better for your body, and for the environment! But, any ground beef will do. Use what you can/have.
- Seasonings: We’ll be seasoning our meatballs with garlic, Italian seasoning, and chopped parsley. Yum!
- Sea Salt: A little sea salt is always necessary!
- Black Pepper: I like using fresh cracked peppercorns for the best flavor.
- Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs: In this recipe, we’re using gluten-free breadcrumbs to bind our meatballs together and keep them gluten-free. Woohoo! If you can’t find gluten-free breadcrumbs, you can always crush toasted gluten-free bread or crackers by sealing them in a ziplock back, squeezing out the air, and then gently rolling over the bag with a rolling pin.
- Egg: The egg will help hold our meatballs together and give them some “bite”. Don’t skip this!
- Olive oil: I like using a high-quality, organic olive oil here, because it’s not only heart-healthy, but also gives this soup a delicious, rich flavor!
- Chicken Bone Broth: Bone broth is not only super delicious, but it is incredibly beneficial for our gut health. I like using a chicken bone broth here, but you can also use a traditional chicken stock. Again, use what you have!
- Gluten-Free Orzo: Any gluten-free pasta works great in this recipe! I’m using orzo because I think the shape is perfect for this soup, but you could also use macaroni or any smaller gluten-free noodle!
- Carrots: Carrots are rich in Vitamin A, and add a delicious flavor to this soup!
- Celery: I love celery for my soup recipes, because it adds fiber but also a bit of “crunch”.
- Onion: Any onion works well here, but I especially recommend Yellow Onion for the best flavor.
- Oregano: If you have fresh oregano, it really adds a wonderful flavor for this soup. But dried oregano is okay too!
- Spinach: Spinach is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and is perfect in this soup. Plus, sneaking it into this soup is a great way to get your picky kids to eat some vegetables… I may or may not know from experience. 😉
How to Make This Italian Wedding Soup
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add ingredients for meatballs.
- Use your hands to incorporate the ingredients well.
- Form 16 small balls and place them on the baking sheet, then transfer the tray put to the refrigerator.
- Next, make the soup.
- Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.
- Cover the pot and let the vegetables soften for 10 minutes.
- Next, add the broth, oregano and salt/pepper, and bring to a gentle boil.
- Once boiling, add the pasta. Cook for 7 more minutes, then gently drop in the meatballs.
- Cook 5 more minutes, add spinach, mix and turn off the heat. Serve and enjoy!
Other Comforting Soup Recipes That You’ll LOVE
If you love this recipe, then you will definitely love these other recipes of mine! All of them are warm, comforting, delicious, and also perfect for those picky eaters.
Cozy Lemon Chicken & Rice Soup
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a rating below! And of course, since I practically live on Instagram, tag me in your creations so I can see them and repost on my IG stories! Enjoy! xx
Ingredients
The Meatballs
- ¾ lb organic ground beef
- 2 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ½ cup gluten free bread crumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add ingredients for meatballs.
- Use your hands to incorporate the ingredients well.
- Form 16 small balls and place them on the baking sheet, then transfer to the refrigerator.
- Next, prepare the soup.
- Heat the olive oil. in a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic.
- Cover the pot and let everything cook and soften for about 8 minutes.
- Next, remove cover, and add the broth, oregano and salt/pepper, and bring to a gentle boil.
- Once boiling, add the pasta. Cook for about 7 more minutes, then gently drop in the meatballs.
- Cook 5 more minutes, add spinach, mix and turn off the heat. Serve and enjoy! Inspired by @thebeachhousekitchen
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
I made this without the carrots or pasta to make it keto, it was delicious!!
Thank you for always having amazing recipes and making my life easier and healthier. 🙂
You’re so welcome, Natalie! I’m so happy that it turned out well for you!! 🙂
This was delicious! We used whole wheat orzo and a little extra broth and it was amazing! So nice being able to cook the meatballs directly in the soup!
Woohoo! So thrilled to hear that you loved this soup, Sam! Thank you so much for your review. And isn’t it great to cook the meatballs right in the soup?! It’s probably my favorite part! 🙂
This was DELISH!! Served with warm crusty bread. Filling and flavorful. Another one to add in the rotation! Thx Nicole
DELICIOUS! I made this for my extremely picky BF & brother and they both devoured it! Not only did they go back for seconds, my BF kept saying how good it was and that I should make it again! Honestly, I can’t remember the last time he’s said that about a new dish I’ve tried. His usual response is “it was ok”. This will definitely be on regular rotation! I was surprised at how easy it was to make! Since I don’t eat beef, the only swap I made was replacing the beef with ground chicken. Initially I was going to buy ground turkey but accidentally got chicken it was SO GOOD!! Everything else I followed exactly. Usually I tend to make small tweaks to adjust to my liking but not with this recipe. Everything was spot on and perfect for this rainy LA weather! I’m such a fan. All of Kale Junkies recipes are so easy to follow with simple ingredients.
Misty, I am so so thrilled to read this incredible review! This is one of my personal favorite recipes, and I am thrilled that you and you boyfriend (and brother!) all loved this recipe. And, chicken sounds like a great replacement for the beef! Thank you so much for making this recipe, and for leaving such a kind review!
Very quick & easy recipe to pull together and tasty too! I will be adding this recipe to my regular rotation for sure. I noticed that the soup instructions call for adding garlic when sweating the veggies, but it wasn’t listed in the ingredients list for the soup (just the meatballs). Do you use garlic in both?
Hi Jilly, thanks for pointing that out! Yes, the soup does call for garlic, and I’ll update the post now to reflect that 🙂
AMAZING! My husband isn’t a big soup person and loved it. I used bone broth as the broth and it was so filling and good!
Yay, I am so thrilled to hear that, Michelle! Bone broth is an excellent addition to this recipe ☻
Hi there! Just came across your recipe and it looks delicious!
One question, what brand of gluten free orzo did you use? It looks so much like the real thing, but I’ve never been able to find any.
Thanks!
Hi Kelly! The Jovial brand makes a cassava-based orzo that tastes great! I hope this helps ☻
Such a classic!
I hope you enjoyed it, James!
So easy, delicious and healthy! I doubled the amount of meatballs b/c I like them smaller in a soup and also doubled the spinach. Searched for “grass fed meatballs” in the soup and your recipe came up and b/c that makes all the difference, I opted for yours…and it did NOT disappoint!
I am so happy to hear that, Sara! Thank you so much for your comment – it makes my day!!