Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup
This Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup, also known as minestra maritata or married soup, is a comforting bowl filled with tender meatballs, leafy green vegetables, and tiny pasta in a rich broth. It’s a family favorite that slowly simmers in the slow cooker, making it a great choice after a long day. The combination of homemade meatballs, acini de pepe, and aromatic vegetables creates a comforting soup that feels extra cozy. Serve it with a side of crusty bread for a delicious soup that tastes like it came straight from your favorite Italian restaurants.
Yes. Simmer everything over medium heat until the meatballs are cooked through, then add pasta near the end.
Yes, frozen meatballs from the freezer aisle are great choices and can be added directly to the slow cooker.
Orzo pasta, ditalini, pepe pasta, or even small pearl pasta like pearl couscous work nicely.
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– Swap the meatball mixture with ground turkey, turkey meatballs, chicken meatballs, mild Italian sausage, or a mix of ground turkey and ground pork.
– Use beef broth instead of chicken broth for a deeper flavor.
– Add bell pepper for extra vegetables.
– Stir in nutritional yeast if you want a dairy-free option instead of parmesan cheese.
– A squeeze of lemon juice at the end adds brightness.
– For a shortcut, use frozen meatballs and adjust the cooking time slightly.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef – Adds rich flavor and a bit of red meat depth to the meatball mixture.
Ground pork – Keeps the homemade meatballs juicy and tender.
Panko breadcrumbs – Help bind the meatballs while keeping them light.
Parmesan cheese – Adds savory flavor that echoes Italian restaurants.
Onion – Blends smoothly into the meatballs for moisture and aroma.
Fresh parsley – Brightens the meatballs with fresh herbal notes.
Egg – Holds the meatball recipe together.
Garlic – Adds bold flavor to both the meatballs and the soup.
Italian seasoning – Brings classic Italian weddings flavor to the dish.
Salt & black pepper – Balance and enhance all the ingredients.
Celery – One of the aromatic vegetables that builds the base of the soup.
Carrots – Add gentle sweetness and color to the broth.
Onion (chopped) – Deepens the overall flavor during slow cooking.
Chicken broth / chicken stock – Forms the rich, comforting base of the soup.
Acini de pepe pasta – A tiny pasta and traditional kind of pasta used in Italian wedding soup recipes.
Baby spinach – A tender leafy green vegetable that wilts beautifully at the end of the cook time
How to make Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, gently mix together the meatball ingredients until just combined.
- Roll 1.5 inch meatballs and place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs for 16-18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned. Don’t worry if it’s not fully cooked through, it will continue to cook in the slow cooker.
- Transfer the cooked meatballs into the slow cooker and add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high, until the meatballs reach a minimal internal temperature of 145°F.
- In the last hour of cooking, add the dried pasta and cook until soft.
- Add the fresh spinach leaves and cook until wilted.
Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup
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Equipment
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup finely grated onion
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
SOUP:
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup dry acini de pepe pasta or dry orzo pasta
- 4 cups baby spinach
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, gently mix together the meatball ingredients until just combined.
- Roll 1.5 inch meatballs and place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs for 16-18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned. Don’t worry if it’s not fully cooked through, it will continue to cook in the slow cooker.
- Transfer the cooked meatballs into the slow cooker and add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high, until the meatballs reach a minimal internal temperature of 145°F.
- In the last hour of cooking, add the dried pasta and cook until soft.
- Add the fresh spinach leaves and cook until wilted.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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