Italian Wedding Soup is truly one of the grandest soups in this galaxy. While not traditionally served at Italian weddings (although it should be served at EVERY wedding because wedding food is usually lame-o), it got its name by marrying the likes juicy mini meatballs, vibrant vegetables and the most adorable pearl pasta in the very same soup!
My version uses sausage as the key player for my meatballs resulting in a flavor-infused broth so rich and lush (it’s slightly sherry-based as well), the lucky person (or people) you serve it to may just propose and you’ll have and Italian wedding right in your kitchen. Except if it’s your kids or best friends. Just make then do the dishes after in return.
Get ready for the amazingness you’re about to experience because the Instant Pot just took this classic soup to the next level!
Here’s How I Made It! (scroll to the bottom for the fully-written recipe):
First, let’s make make some balls. It begins with some Italian sausage (which is preferred since the sausage commands the flavor of the broth, but you can sub another sausage of your choice).
If they’re links (which they likely will be), use the tip of a good knife to slice into the casing.
Split it open, remove the meat (let’s call this the “slit ‘n split” method)…
…and place in a large mixing bowl (and obviously discard the now-destroyed and shriveled up casing).
To the bowl of sausage meat, add in some ground beef (the less lean, the better).
Crack an egg…
…slightly beat it…
…and pour it over the meat.
To that we’ll add in some flavor/binding agents. Dump in some grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs…
…seasoned salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, garlic….
…and whole milk.
Now get those hands sparkling clean because we’re about to have some fun.
Mix up the meat with all the seasonings. Really get in there and squish it around – almost like you’re making a dough.
And once all the meat has combined into what appears to a large, bound meatball, you’re good.
Now let’s take this giant mama meatball and make babies out of it! Pinch off a decent amount of meat…
…and roll it in between your palms until it forms a perfect mini meatball!
When done, they should be between the size of a pinball and ping-pong ball and you should get about 35-45 meatballs depending on the size you’ve rolled them. Set these aside.
Now take some shallots…
…and dice ’em up.
Take a few carrots…
…and dice THOSE up.
And take some celery ribs…
…and, you guessed it! Dice ’em up too.
See that bright green, leafy center rib in your celery stalk? Reserve the leaves.
Now go to the Instant Pot, add in some olive oil and heat it up.
In two batches, carefully take the meatballs…
…and flash-sear them in the pot.
Turn them over within 30 seconds of laying it into the pot and be delicate with them as, like a child, they’re still quite impressionable.
Now, carefully transfer all the flash-seared meatballs to a plate and let rest. They should NOT be fully cooked just yet.
Take a wooden spatula and scrape up any of the meat remnants from searing…
…and add in some more olive oil.
Shortly after, add in the shallots, carrots and celery…
…and sauté for a few minutes. As you sauté, keep scraping the bottom of the pot and it should become nice and clear!
Now add in some garlic and sauté for another moment…
…before adding in some fresh basil leaves.
Stir them in with everything else, just until they wilt.
Then, add in some sherry cooking wine (if you refuse to use this, you can use more broth when we add that shortly).
Allow the veggies to simmer in the sherry for a few moments.
Then, add in some chicken or garlic broth.
…garlic powder, pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning…
…the reserved leaves from the celery stalk…
…and just a bit of acini di pepe pasta (they look like little pearls).
Give everything a good stir.
Now, carefully return the lightly seared meatballs to the pot…
…and top with spinach (but DO NOT STIR that in). Secure the lid and cook at high pressure.
When done, you’ll have a blanket of spinach!
Stir it up to reveal the most glorious and beautiful soup.
Give it a quick taste (but blow on it first so you don’t burn those pretty lips). It should already be perfect in terms of a rich, savory flavor. However, should you wish to give it some more, just add a little seasoned salt and then give it another taste. If you want more, adjust to your desired salt level.
Now take a nice ladle-full of this gloriousness…
…place in a bowl…
…sink in a spoon…
…transport it to your mouth…
…and have a moment. Because tasting this soup is going to make you feel unbelievably proud.
And all done in a snap thanks to your Instant Pot!
Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup
My favorite soup in Italian cuisine would be one that involves a wedding. With tiny meatballs (I use sausage for them) and pasta pearls playing together in a rich and basil-laden broth, what's not to love?
Ingredients
The Meatballs:
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1/2 pound ground beef (80-85% lean. The less lean, the better)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons (6 cloves) garlic, crushed or minced
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
The Soup:
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 large shallots, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced (with green, leafy tops reserved)
- 1 tablespoon (3 cloves) garlic, crushed or minced
- 1 bunch (about 1 packed cup) fresh basil leaves, stems removed
- 1 cup cooking sherry wine (if you wish to leave this out, simply add another cup of broth. NOTE: Also, see the yellow “Jeffrey Sez” section for a word on sherry and its intensity)
- 7 cups chicken or garlic broth (such as 7 teaspoons Garlic Better Than Bouillon + 7 cups water)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (optional. NOTE: The sherry and juices from the sausage will already give the soup a rich, savory flavor and you don’t want it to be too over the top. If you wish, once cooking is complete, stir in 1/2 teaspoon and taste. If you want more, add more to your liking. Adding salt as desired just before serving gives you the control.)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup acini di pepe (pearl) pasta (NOTE: This may not seem like much when dry but trust me, it grows to about 3x the size and absorbs plenty of broth once cooked. While acini di pepe is preferred, you can alternatively use pastina, ditalini or orzo. If using pastina, the same amount applies as for the acini di pepe. If using ditalini or orzo, you can use up to 3/4 – 1 cup.)
- 5-8 ounces baby spinach
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the meatball ingredients and mix together well by hand (almost like making a dough) until it binds together nicely and forms one large meatball. From there, grab enough meat to roll each meatball between the size of a pinball and ping-pong ball and set aside on a plate. You should have between 35-45 when done.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Instant Pot, hit Sauté on and adjust so it’s on the More or High setting. After 3 minutes of the oil heating, add the meatballs in two batches (we don’t want them over-crowding the bottom of the pot) and flash-sear for about 30 seconds on each side. Carefully remove the meatballs with tongs or a slotted spoon when done (they’ll still be delicate and not fully cooked by this point).
- Add the other 2 tablespoons olive oil and then the shallots, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Then, add the basil leaves and stir until wilted, about 1 more minute.
- Add the sherry and simmer the veggies for 2 minutes and then add the broth, garlic salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, reserved leafy tops from celery, pasta and stir. Carefully add the flash-seared meatballs back to the pot. Then, top with spinach but do not stir. Secure the lid, move the valve to sealing position, hit Pressure Cook or Manual at high pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release when done.
- Give everything a stir and give the soup a taste. If you feel it needs some seasoned salt (many likely won’t), NOW is the time to add it (and just start with 1/2 teaspoons as mentioned in the ingredients and add more to taste).
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
Jeffrey's Tips
Cooking sherry wine is a strong mix of sweet & savory. I use 1 cup in my recipe because I enjoy that intensity. However, you can absolutely halve the sherry to 1/2 cup or even 1/4 cup and just make up for it with another 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup of broth, respectively. To that point, if you feel you added more sherry than you wished, you can easily rectify this by adding more broth or simply water at the end until it’s to your liking. Or, as stated in the ingredients, you can leave the sherry out completely and sub for more broth (we want 8 cups of liquid in the pot when all’s said and done). But if you leave the sherry out, you’ll likely definitely want to add at least 1/2 teaspoon of the seasoned salt (or more to taste) to make up for flavor.
If you want even more soup, add up to another 1-2 cups of broth after pressure cooking. You can adjust any seasonings to taste at the end.
Use 1/4 cup of acini di pepe if you want minimal pasta in your soup (there will still be plenty) and no more than 1/2 cup if you want a substantial amount. Just keep in mind that we don’t want to go overboard on the pasta or this will become a creamy pearl pasta and meatball dish rather than a soup since the more pasta in the pot means the more absorbing of broth by the pasta and less for slurping as soup. It will still taste insanely delicious as a pearly, meaty pasta dish but this is a soup we’re making here! If you’re worried about your pasta portion and want more control, simply boil about 1/4 cup separately on the stove according to package directions and add to individual soup bowls when serving.
If you want a spicier soup, use hot Italian sausage instead of sweet.
Want to use a different sausage (such as chicken sausage) for your meatballs? Go for it! Just know it will alter the taste of the broth differently from Italian sausage, but it will still be delicious!
Don’t care for sausage? Feel free to make my classic meatballs here. Follow Steps 1 & 2 and then roll them into a size between a pinball to ping-pong ball.
Want the Jewish version of this soup? Try my outrageous Jewish Wedding Soup which subs mini matzo balls for the meatballs! It’ll make you kvell!
Michele
Rather than whole milk – does skim or 2 % work
Jeffrey
Don’t go for skim. 2% could.
Donna
Hi Jeffrey! Made the Italian wedding soup for the first time. It was so delicious and flavorful. I made mine with cabbage instead of spinach. Those little meatballs were so good and I loved the flavor the sherry gave to the broth. Thanks so much for another wonderful recipe!
Jeffrey
Hey Donna! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Such a great soup!
Katie
Hi Jeffrey! LOVE your soup!! Made it multiple times and my family and I can’t get enough of it! Absolutely amazing! Followed to recipe exactly and I wouldn’t change a thing. We have also made your “Katz’s deli pastrami”…also out of this world!! We purchased your cookbook and can’t wait to try some of those recipes! Keep up the good work! You are quite talented! Mazel Tov!! ~The Ring Family, Massachusetts
Nancy
Delicious! My first time making Italian Wedding Soup. Easy recipe to follow. I made my meatballs smaller in size. I pan fried mine in a non-stick pan as they were sticking in the Intant pot. Came out delicious, very flavorful & the meatballs were amazing! I would definitely use the recipe when making meatballs to go with pasta!
Thanks for another awesome recipe!!!
Barbara
Great soup, everything went well together. My only change next time would be to use less pepper.
Sandra
I made the soup and it was a hit! I’d like to double the recipe. Is it possible with a 6qt or would I need to make 2 separate batches! Thanks!
Paula
Grandpa added a beaten egg at the very end and stirred it through the broth. Made it so rich tasting.
Alayna
Very delicious soup! I used pastina and definitely didnt need that much. I made the meatballs small. Only question I have was how is the prep listed as only 5 minutes? I don’t see how that is possible, especially with having to roll meatballs. Thanks for another great recipe! :^)
Jennifer
I agree! I came to the comments section to ask about the prep time. It takes much longer than 5 minutes to gather everything, chop the veggies and mix and roll the meatballs. It’s all so worth it though!!!
Melinda
I’d like to use frozen Italian meatballs to make this recipe even easier. What changes would you suggest to the recipe?
Jane
I suggest you make these meatballs! It’s the best part of the recipe!
Alyssa Rasnick
Just made your delicious soup and delivered it to my husband who has principal duty at our home football game! My seven-year-old and three-year-old love it as well. All of your recipes that we try quickly become family favorites! We had to substitute for orzo and it was really really good. We also wanted to cut down on time and we broiled our meatballs in the oven and we think they taste awesome!
Farmersdaughter
I love Italian Wedding Soup, this will be the first time I have made it. I can’t get fresh basil this time of year so I will add dried. I’m going to start with 2 TBLSP dried because I love basil and will probably use kale instead of spinach because that’s what I have. I hope it turns out as nice as yours. I will be using homemade chicken stock instead of the Better than Bullion, so I’ll probably need more garlic!!
Terry
Has anyone used dried basil and frozen spinach? Amounts? Any feedback?
Devonnah
I used 1/2 teaspoon of dried Basil and 2 packages of chopped frozen Spinach and it came out great! Tip with the frozen Spinach is, thaw and put in a strainer and try to squeeze out all of the excess liquid. I added 2 minutes to the pressure cooking time. Hope this helps!
Jan
This is the best recipe EVER! Loved it. I now for first time have a delicious Italian Wedding soup recipe that didn’t I intimidate me. Your meatball recipe is fantastic and that is going to be my go-to recipe now when I make sauce. Thank you so much for sharing!
Heather
This is now my families absolute favorite soup! Made it exactly like recipe states. I wouldn’t change a thing! Thank you for another keeper, Jeffrey!!
Jessica
Holy man! This soup is good!
I didn’t use the sherry because I don’t keep it on hand but next time I make this – and there will be a next time – I’ll try it.
Thank you for the recipe!
Pamela
This was my first make in my pot! It was delicious!!
Anne Khanna
Holy moly, this soup is the bomb! The sherry and fresh basil are the secret ingredients here, so don’t skip them. I made this again with chicken meatballs, which was a great lighter option. Definitely a winner!
Brian
what size instant pot did you use for the italian wedding soup recipe?
Jeffrey
6-qt but any size can be used. Halve if making it in a 3-qt.
Terri
I add in some some shredded chicken and squeeze 1/2 a lemon.
Patty WHITEHOUSE
Do you have a cooking wine you could recommend? I never have any wine on hand and I’m always clueless on what to cook with.
Thanks!
Jeffrey
A cheap bottle of dry white will work fine!
Franco Ellyn
We can use the cooking sherry in the grocery store. Not the sherry from the liquor store correct?
Jeffrey
Either
Beth
I made Italian Wedding soup for dinner tonight and it was delicious, my whole family loved it and said it is a keeper!!
Jeffrey
Yay!