Italian Wedding Soup
Cozy Italian Wedding Soup with chicken meatballs, kale, beans, and lemon. Easy, flavorful, and perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep!
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- ½ pound ground chicken
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock (low sodium preferred)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ bunch curly kale, stems discarded and greens torn into bite size pieces, about 4 cups
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan, plus extra parmesan for serving
- 1 cup cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Mix until just combined, then form into 1-inch meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear the meatballs on all sides until golden brown, about 4–6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 3–5 minutes until fragrant and translucent.
- Pour in the stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add the kale and cook for 3 minutes until wilted.
- Add the meatballs and cannellini beans to the pot and simmer for 8 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and Parmesan. Slowly drizzle the mixture into the simmering soup while stirring gently to create silky strands.
- Stir in the lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot with extra Parmesan on top.
Notes
I love to freeze soup in individual portions for quick lunches.
- Make Ahead: The meatballs can be made and seared up to two days ahead. Store them in the fridge and add to the soup when you’re ready.
- Add Pasta: If you want to bulk the Italian Wedding Soup up, toss in some small pasta like acini di pepe or orzo.
- Extra Lemon: Don’t skip the lemon juice at the end, it makes the whole soup pop.
- Freezer Friendly: This Italian Wedding Soup freezes beautifully. Just leave out the egg and Parmesan mixture, then add that fresh when reheating.
- Greens Swap: Kale holds up best, but baby spinach works great for a softer texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 906mg | Potassium: 782mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2444IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 3mg