Meatballs marry leafy greens, pasta and carrots to live happily ever after in this Italian Wedding Soup. While this is a popular soup for weddings the name refers to the vegetables and meats marrying well together. Minestrata Maritata. Married soup.
This Italian American version is lighter than the traditional Neapolitan version that uses an abundance of meat including prosciutto on the bone, sausage, beef and chicken with escarole and cheese like mozzarella and parmesan. The meat is slowly simmered for hours then shredded and added back into the soup, making for a hearty main dish.
Their truly exists a harmony of flavors with tender meatballs, greens, carrot coins and tubetti pasta swimming in a sea of garlic laced broth. Warm, satisfying and altogether delicious!
Meatballs marry leafy greens, pasta and carrots to live happily ever after in this Italian Wedding Soup.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add all the meatball ingredients to a large bowl and combine well using a fork. Use a rounded teaspoon full of meat to form meatballs, rolling them in the palm of your hand; set on a platter.
- In a large soup pot heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat, add carrot and onion saute until onion is soft and tender, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Add garlic and basil; saute until garlic is fragrant.
- Add chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil, carefully drop in meatballs one at a time. Add greens; season broth well with salt and pepper. Simmer for 25 minutes, tasting halfway through and seasoning as needed. Skim any gray sludge or grease that rises to the top off the soup.
- Meanwhile cook pasta in plenty of boiling water; drain; drizzle with olive oil and toss. Stir parsley into soup. To serve add a few spoons of pasta to a soup bowl, ladle soup over top and serve with parmesan cheese and crusty bread.


















Mmmm, this soup is one of my favorites to eat out but I’ve never made it at home! I really should…your soup looks even better than the ones I’ve had out!
Yum! I love Italian Wedding Soup. Yours looks incredibly good.
I think there are versions of this hearty and comforting soup all over Italy. Your recipe is wonderful. Perfect for the colder nights of winter:)xx
What a lovely soup…and your photo is gorgeous!