This Italian Wedding soup is hearty and full of goodness! This soup is a quick meal for busy nights or long, lazy Sundays. The tortellini make it family-friendly and filling!
When it comes to International dishes, I find that there is no one way to prepare them. Take this Greek Avgolemono Soup; I prepare it the way my mom taught me, which is specific to the part of Greek in which she grew up.
Ethnic foods are so region-specific. Which means there are no right and wrong ways to prepare them.
I imagine this holds true with Italian Wedding soup. While my recipe is NOT region-specific, I would imagine there are variances among Italian American families.
What Is Italian Wedding Soup?
Italian wedding soup usually consists of a leafy vegetable like cabbage, escarole, spinach or even kale along with meatballs and broth. The soup usually has vegetables like carrots and is bulked up with pasta like pastina, orzo, or other small shaped pasta.
The version I am sharing with you today has:
- Kale
- Italian Sausage
- A frozen blend of vegetables
- Tortellini
Why Is It Called Italian Wedding Soup?
Contrary to what the name suggests, this isn’t a soup served at weddings. The name comes from the Italian phrase: “minestra maritata” which means married soup. The title has more to do with the blending or the marrying of flavors and how the greens and the meat come together.
How To Make Italian Wedding Soup
I start this recipe with Italian sausage. I use the bulk variety and I make little meatballs with the sausage. Brown the sausage in a hot skillet until the meatballs are cooked.
Add your vegetables to the same skillet and heat until they begin to soften. At this point, I like to season the vegetables with salt, basil, oregano, and thyme.
Add broth to the skill and bring to a boil. Once the broth is ready, add the pasta.
As I said, I used tortellini, but any pasta will do. Cook until the pasta is tender. Add the kale just before serving.
What To Serve With Italian Wedding Soup
You can’t go wrong serving up a loaf of crusty bread with this Italian wedding soup recipe! But beyond that, try serving this with:
Does Italian Wedding Soup Freeze Well?
The soup, as directed here, will not freeze well. However, if you omit the tortellini the soup can be frozen for up to 4 months.
When ready, thaw the soup in the fridge then heat in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, add the tortellini or pasta of choice and cook until pasta is ready!
If you like this soup then you might like:
Easy Vegetable Soup with Meatballs
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Italian Wedding Soup
This Italian Wedding soup is hearty and full of goodness! This soup is a quick meal for busy nights or long, lazy Sundays. The tortellini make it family-friendly and filling!
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 cup of frozen veggies (carrots, onions, peppers)
- 2 teaspoons garlic
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups of water
- 1 lb tortellini
- 2 cups kale
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Form the Italian sausage into mini meatballs. Add to the hot pot and cook until no longer pink.
- Add vegetable mix to the same pot and heat until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Season the vegetables with salt, basil, oregano, and thyme.
- Add broth and water. Cover and bring to a boil.
- Remove the cover and add the tortellini. Cook until tortellini float to the top.
- Reduce heat and add the kale just before serving.
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