Best Italian Wedding Soup Recipe (My Grandma's!)

Warm, comforting, and packed with tons of flavor, this Italian Wedding Soup is a true crowd-pleaser. It starts off our Christmas Eve dinner every year, but is just as delicious for a cozy Sunday supper. 

I am not sure that after multiple generations this can still be classified as an authentic Italian wedding soup, but I can tell you that this recipe originated with my Italian great-grandmother who passed it down to my grandmother who passed it down to me.

In fact, I still have her typed out (on a typewriter!) letter telling me how to make it. For many years now, I have been responsible for this recipe in my family, and I’m happy to finally be sharing it with you here. 

🥗 Easy Italian Wedding Soup Recipe Ingredients

• Chicken: A whole chicken creates a flavorful, homemade chicken stock that’s far superior to store-bought.
• Ground Beef: For the best homemade meatballs, use ground beef that is lean but not super lean (I like 85-90% lean). You could also substitute (or combine) ground pork or ground turkey for your meat mixture. Or use Italian sausage. 
• Chicken Bouillon: I actually prefer Better Than Bouillon than regular bouillon cubes. Look for that in the bouillon/broth section of your supermarket or buy Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base on Amazon.
• Escarole: This is a traditional choice for classic Italian wedding soup, but you can substitute with baby spinach or chopped kale if preferred.
• Parmesan Cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano will give you that authentic Italian flavor. Freshly grated is always best, but if you can’t be bothered, do choose a high-quality pre-grated parm. 
• Eggs: The beaten eggs create delicate ribbons in the soup, which are one of my favorite parts of this dish. Of course you can leave them out though if you prefer. 

🥣 Italian Wedding Soup Recipe Step-by-Step Instructions

Fill ⅔ of a large stockpot (8 quart preferred) with water, and put in an entire 3-4 pound chicken (make sure chicken is covered by at least 4 inches of water).

Heat the pot over medium-high, until liquid starts to simmer.

Reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer until chicken is falling off the bone, about 3 hours. Skim any thick foam or impurities off the top of the pot as the chicken is simmering and discard.

When the chicken is fully tender, use tongs to remove large pieces of chicken from the pot and place on a large plate or cutting board.

Strain the broth into a large container (or two), putting any remaining chicken meat with the rest of the chicken. Let the broth cool slightly, then put into the refrigerator.

When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and put into an airtight container in the refrigerator. Wash the pot.

The next day, remove any large chunks of fat that have solidified on top of the broth.

Then return the broth to the pot (you should have about 12 cups) along with 3 bouillon cubes (or teaspoons of Better than Bouillon chicken base). Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Roll ½ pound ground beef into small balls (less than a half-inch in diameter).

Rinse any dirt off a small head of escarole, then chop or tear into small pieces, discarding the tough white stems near the bottom. You should have about 4 cups of escarole total. Scramble two eggs in a small bowl.

Add the little meatballs to the broth and cook for 5 minutes.

Then stir in 3 ½ cups of reserved chicken along with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese. Drizzle the beaten eggs slowly into the soup. Stir in the escarole.

Simmer the soup for 30 minutes on medium-low heat. Ladle into bowls to serve, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese. 

Substitutions for This Easy Italian Wedding Soup

While this version is my classic recipe, you can make lots of substitutions to make it your own. If you want to streamline the recipe, you can purchase precooked rotisserie chicken meat and store-bought chicken stock. You can also add in store-bought mini meatballs rather than making your own. Speaking of meatballs, try switching in ground turkey, ground pork, Italian sausage (or a combination of meats) for the ground beef. You can also add in different greens (baby kale, spinach) instead of the escarole, and try pecorino romano cheese instead of the parmesan.

Recipe FAQs

👩‍🍳 Expert Tips for Traditional Italian Wedding Soup

If you don’t have 12 cups of broth leftover from cooking the chicken, make up the difference with water or chicken broth. Then add a bouillon cube if you had to add a bunch of water. If you have more than 12 cups of chicken broth, save whatever broth you don’t need for another use. (I just freeze it for future chicken stock needs!) 

If your chicken is so big that you have more than 3 ½ cups of chicken meat, save any extra chicken meat for another use. I like to freeze any extra in ziplock freezer bags and pull it out when I need it, like when I’m making these Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwiches, this Pesto Tortellini Salad, or these Chicken and Mushroom Crepes. 

You can make this soup in one day rather than two, but my grandma always told me that it was better to make the broth the day before making the soup. Much easier to take any excess fat off the broth that way. Skimming that solidified fat off will give you a cleaner, more flavorful broth.

Also, this soup gets even better on Day 2. When I am making for Christmas Eve dinner, I often finish it the day before the dinner so I can reheat it on Christmas Eve. It’s perfect! (And way less stressful the day of the party.)

Quick tip for making the meatballs—try using a very small cookie scoop or melon baller to scoop out the ground meat. Then roll with your fingers into a ball. 

Looking for even more flavor? When you are cooking the chicken, add in some aromatics like celery, carrot, or onions. Try adding a parmesan rind or a bay leaf or two as you are simmering the soup (remove before serving). You can also finish it with a drizzle of lemon juice for a pop of brightness. Want to make a heartier soup? Add in some small pasta like pearl couscous or acini de pepe. 

This Italian wedding soup recipe is perfect for any occasion, from family dinners to holiday celebrations, but what to serve it with? Of course, crusty bread is essential—maybe try this Garlic Bread made with a baguette. You also might want to add a big salad like this Arugula Salad with Apples or this Pear Gorgonzola Salad. 

Other Delicious Soup Recipes

Love soup as much as I do? You might want to try one of my other favorite soup recipes. Maybe this classic French Onion Soup or this bright Carrot Ginger Soup? Or one of these—all easy to make, but so much flavor!

If you try this Italian Wedding Soup recipe, I would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to me.

And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!

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Traditional Italian Wedding Soup

Chef Molly Pisula

Warm, comforting, and packed with tons of flavor, this Italian Wedding Soup is a true crowd-pleaser.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Additional Time 12 hours hrs

Total Time 16 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Soup Recipes

Cuisine Italian

Servings 8

Calories 380 kcal

Equipment

Better than Bouillon Premium Roasted Beef and Roasted Chicken Base, 8 oz Jars (Pack of 2)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds)
• ½ pound ground beef
• 3 chicken bouillon cubes or 3 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon chicken base
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (about ½ ounce), plus more for serving
• 1 small head escarole

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Fill ⅔ of a large stockpot (8 quart preferred) with water, and put in the chicken (make sure chicken is covered by at least 4 inches of water).
• Heat the pot over medium-high, until liquid starts to simmer. Reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer until chicken is falling off the bone, about 3 hours. Skim any thick foam or impurities off the top of the pot as the chicken is simmering and discard.
• When the chicken is fully tender, use tongs to remove large pieces of chicken from the pot and place on a large plate or cutting board.
• Strain the broth into a large container (or two), putting any remaining chicken meat with the rest of the chicken. Let the broth cool to room temperature, then put into the refrigerator.
• When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and put into an airtight container in the refrigerator. Wash the pot.
• The next day, remove any large chunks of fat that have solidified on top of the broth.
• Return the broth to the pot (you should have about 12 cups) along with the bouillon cubes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Roll ground beef into small balls (less than a half-inch in diameter).
• Rinse any dirt off the escarole, then chop or tear into small pieces, discarding the tough white stems near the bottom. You should have about 4 cups of escarole total.
• Add the little meatballs to the broth and cook for 5 minutes.
• Then stir in 3 ½ cups of reserved chicken along with the grated parmesan cheese.
• Drizzle beaten eggs slowly into the soup.
• Stir in the escarole.
• Simmer the soup for 30 minutes on medium-low heat.
• Ladle into bowls to serve, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Storage Tips: 
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It reheats beautifully on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Expert Tips: 
If you don’t have 12 cups of broth leftover from cooking the chicken, make up the difference with water or chicken broth. If you have to add a bunch of water, add an additional bouillon cube. If you have more than 12 cups of chicken broth, save whatever broth you don’t need for another use. (I just freeze it for future chicken stock needs!) 

You can make this soup in one day rather than two, but my grandma always told me that it was better to make the broth the day before making the soup. Much easier to take any excess fat off the broth that way.

Also, this soup tastes even better the day after you finish it. When I am making for Christmas Eve dinner, I often finish it the day before the dinner so I can reheat it on Christmas Eve. It’s perfect! (And way less stressful the day of the party.)

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 41gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 417mgFiber: 1g

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More About Molly

Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!

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