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–+ servings
bowl of italian wedding soup with spinach, pasta, carrots, mini meatballs and broth. Bowls of parsley and cheese in the background

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP IN CROCKPOT

Teensy, tiny pasta, perfectly cooked meatballs, tons of veggies and a savory broth make up this old and delicious classic. Everyone is going to love this crockpot version of Italian Wedding Soup!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 5 hours
Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Mom's Famous Mini Meatballs (made slightly bigger)
  • 1 large Onion diced
  • 2 cups Carrots sliced
  • 1 cup Celery sliced
  • 2 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 8-10 cups Chicken Broth*
  • 12 oz. Fresh Spinach
  • 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • ½ tbsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Pepper
  • 1 cup Pastina* (or another tiny pasta)
  • Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Chopped Parsley optional, for serving

Instructions

  • Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, italian seasoning, bay leaves and broth to a crockpot.
    crock pot with chopped onions, celery, carrots, broth and seasonings
  • Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours or until the veggies are soft and tender.
    crock pot of broth, chopped celery, onions, spices
  • Meanwhile, make the meatballs according to this recipe. Be warned, they're highly addicting and might be hard to resist before adding to the soup ;)
    hand rolling raw ground meat into a meatball over a parchment lined baking sheet with some more meatballs and a bowl of the meat mixture
  • NOTE: Make the meatballs slightly bigger than the recipe states. Think slightly smaller than golf-ball sized.
    parchment lined baking sheet with raw mini meatballs
  • Add 2 tbsp of Olive Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs (working in batches, if necessary).
    skillet with oil and raw mini meatballs
  • Cook a few minutes in total, stirring frequently, to allow all sides to brown. They don't have to be all the way cooked through as they will finish cooking in the crockpot when added to the soup. Transfer to a parchment lined plate to drain.
    skillet with oil and bowned mini meatballs
  • After the veggies are done cooking, add the pasta and meatballs to the crockpot.
    crock pot with mini meatballs, broth and spinach
  • Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes. In the final few minutes of cooking, add the spinach and stir until wilted.
    ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP IN CROCKPOT with mini meatballs, spinach, carrots, pasta, celery and broth
  • Top with fresh chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
    chopped parsley and parmesan cheese in bowls surrounding two cups of italian wedding soup, two spoons on the side

Notes

I used tiny, star shaped pasta called "stelline" from a popular pasta brand called Barilla. You can use any small pasta you can find. Anci de pepe (little round balls) or orzo (rice shaped pasta) are good alternatives.
As the pasta sits, it will absorb the liquid of the soup. You may need to keep adding broth to thin it out if you don't eat it right away.
In the video, I add my spinach a little too soon. You can add it with the pasta and meatballs like I did. Or, you can add it just within the final few minutes of cooking like the recipe card states. The sooner you add it, the more it'll lose it's vibrant green color (which I guess really doesn't matter if you're not planning a whole photoshoot like I was, lol). The flavour of the soup will not be affected either way.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 487kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 2163mg | Potassium: 604mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 12543IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 3mg
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