Italian Wedding Soup with Beef Meatballs

Name: Italian Wedding Soup with Beef Meatballs
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: ½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk; 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80/20), cold; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ½ cup (45 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; ¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 3 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 2 stalks (120 g) celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice; 3 cloves (12 g) garlic, thinly sliced; 8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 2 cups (480 ml) water; 1 piece (about 2 × 3 inches / 5 × 7.5 cm) (30 g) Parmesan rind (optional); ¾ cup (140 g) acini di pepe pasta; 1 small head (about 8 oz) (225 g) escarole, cored, leaves washed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) ribbons (about 6 cups loosely packed); 1 tablespoon juice (15 ml) lemon, freshly squeezed (optional); kosher salt, to taste; ¼ cup (22 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated, for serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender mini beef-and-Parmesan meatballs, sweet carrots, tiny acini di pepe pasta and silky escarole float in a savory, garlicky chicken broth. It's a one-pot Italian-American classic that comes together in about an hour.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: About 3 quarts (2.8 L), 6 generous bowls

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the meatballs
½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk
1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80/20), cold
1 whole (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup (45 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon (4 g) kosher salt
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the soup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
3 medium (about 8 oz) (225 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
2 stalks (120 g) celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice
3 cloves (12 g) garlic, thinly sliced
8 cups (1900 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups (480 ml) water
1 piece (about 2 × 3 inches / 5 × 7.5 cm) (30 g) Parmesan rind (optional)
¾ cup (140 g) acini di pepe pasta
1 small head (about 8 oz) (225 g) escarole, cored, leaves washed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) ribbons (about 6 cups loosely packed)
1 tablespoon juice (15 ml) lemon, freshly squeezed (optional)
kosher salt, to taste
¼ cup (22 g) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated, for serving

Equipment (6)

6-quart (5.7 L) heavy-bottomed soup pot or stockpot
Large mixing bowl
Rimmed baking sheet or large plate for the meatballs
Small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon) or 2 spoons (optional)
Ladle
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

This recipe is made entirely on the stovetop; no oven is needed.
Use 80/20 ground beef; leaner beef makes drier, tougher meatballs.
Wash the escarole well. Grit hides between the leaves, so swish the chopped leaves in a bowl of cold water and drain.
Grate the Parmesan on the small holes of a box grater so it blends into the meatballs and doesn't leave chunks.
Have the broth, water and a clean plate ready before you start shaping, so you can move quickly once the meatballs are formed.

1
Soak the panko
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the panko and milk.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes so the crumbs absorb the milk and form a thick, wet paste.
- This panade keeps the meatballs tender.
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Ready when: The crumbs look like a soft, thick paste with no dry bits
2
Mix the meatballs
- Add the ground beef, egg, ½ cup Parmesan, minced garlic, parsley, ¾ teaspoon salt and pepper to the panade.
- Mix gently with your hands for about 30 seconds, only until everything is evenly combined.
- Stop as soon as no streaks of egg or cheese remain.
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Ready when: The mixture looks uniform and just holds together
Tip: Overmixing makes dense, rubbery meatballs.
3
Shape the meatballs
- Wet your hands lightly with water.
- Roll the mixture into about 36 small meatballs, each about ¾ inch (2 cm) wide, using roughly 1 tablespoon (12–14 g) of meat for each.
- Place them on a rimmed baking sheet or plate.
- Wash your hands well.
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Ready when: Meatballs are smooth, uniform in size and about the size of a large marble
Tip: Keep the size small. Large meatballs are hard to fit on a spoon with the pasta and take longer to cook.
4
Soften the vegetables
- Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart (5.7 L) soup pot over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the sliced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, carrots are slightly tender, and the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown. It turns bitter in the broth.
5
Bring broth to a simmer
- Pour in the chicken broth and water.
- Add the Parmesan rind if using.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a gentle boil, about 6 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the liquid is simmering with small, steady bubbles.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break the surface steadily across the pot
Tip: A hard boil will break the meatballs apart in the next step, so lower the heat before adding them.
6
Simmer the meatballs
- Gently drop the meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time, spacing them out so they don't stick together.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes without stirring for the first 3 minutes, then stir gently.
- Cook until the meatballs are firm and cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into one reads 160°F (71°C).
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Ready when: Meatballs are firm, no longer pink inside, and reach 160°F (71°C)
Tip: Skim off any foam that rises to the surface with a spoon for a clearer broth.
7
Cook the pasta
- Stir in the acini di pepe.
- Raise the heat to medium and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the tiny pasta from sticking to the bottom, until the pasta is tender with a slight bite.
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Ready when: Taste a piece: it's soft but still has a slight chew in the center
Tip: Acini di pepe keeps absorbing broth as it sits, so don't overcook it. If making ahead, see the storage notes.
8
Wilt the escarole
- Remove the Parmesan rind, if used, and discard it.
- Stir in the escarole in 2 handfuls and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the leaves are wilted and tender but still bright green.
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Ready when: Leaves are limp, glossy and tender, with a slight bitter-sweet flavor
Tip: Escarole is bulky at first but cooks down quickly, so don't worry if the pot looks full.
9
Season and serve
- Taste the broth and add salt as needed, usually ½ to 1 teaspoon, plus black pepper if you like.
- Stir in the lemon juice if using for brightness.
- Ladle into warm bowls, giving each about 6 meatballs, and top with the grated Parmesan.
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Ready when: Broth tastes savory and well seasoned, not flat
Tip: Season at the end. The broth, Parmesan and rind all add salt.

Good to know

Tips

Simmer the meatballs directly in the broth rather than browning them. It's easier, and it flavors the soup.
Keep the meatballs small and uniform so they cook evenly at the same rate.
Add the pasta only after the meatballs are cooked, so it doesn't turn mushy.
A Parmesan rind adds a savory depth to the broth; save rinds in the freezer for soups.

Make ahead

Shape the raw meatballs up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate on the baking sheet. The vegetables can be chopped 1 day ahead. For the best leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl when serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pasta will absorb broth, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating. Freezer: freeze for up to 3 months (best without the pasta). Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), without boiling hard.

Substitutions

escarole → Baby spinach or curly endive. Use 6 oz (170 g) spinach and stir in for only 1 minute. Curly endive can be used 1:1 and cooked the same time.
acini di pepe pasta → Orzo or ditalini. Orzo cooks in about the same time. Ditalini may need 1 to 2 extra minutes.
ground beef (80/20) → Half ground beef and half ground pork, or ground turkey. Beef and pork give a richer meatball. Turkey makes a leaner one and must also reach 165°F (74°C).
panko breadcrumbs → Plain dry breadcrumbs. Use 6 tablespoons (about 25 g), since fine crumbs are denser than panko.