Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey Meatballs
Italian wedding soup is an Italian meatball soup that's overflowing with healthy vegetables. Here's a recipe you can try at home.
Equipment
Large stockpot or Dutch oven
Rimmed baking sheet
Aluminium foil
Large mixing bowl
Teaspoon cookie scoop
Cutting board and chef’s knife
Ingredients
Turkey Meatballs
1 pound ground turkey - minced turkey, about 450g
1 clove garlic - minced
¼ cup parsley - fresh flat-leaf ; finely chopped, plus extra for garnish, about 15g
½ teaspoon fennel seeds - crushed
1 medium egg
½ cup breadcrumbs - about 55g
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup yellow onion - chopped, about 150g
1 cup carrots - chopped, about 130g
1 cup celery - chopped, about 100g- 1 clove garlic - crushed
1 cup kale - stems removed and roughly chopped, about 65g
1 cup cabbage - chopped, about 90g
1 can white beans - cannellini or Great Northern, drained and rinsed, 15 oz / 425g
6 cups chicken stock (chicken broth or chicken bouillon) - about 1.4L- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C (180°C fan-forced).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, minced garlic, chopped parsley, crushed fennel seeds, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — do not overmix or the meatballs will be dense.1 pound ground turkey, 1 clove garlic, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1 medium egg, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch ground black pepper
- Using a teaspoon cookie scoop, portion the mixture into small meatballs and place them on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake until the meatballs are lightly golden on the outside but still slightly undercooked in the centre, about 10–12 minutes. They will finish cooking in the simmering soup. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Soup
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes until the onions are softened and translucent.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup yellow onion, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup celery
- Add the crushed garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained white beans, kale, cabbage, and chopped parsley. Stir to combine and cook for 2–3 minutes until the greens begin to wilt.1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 can white beans, 1 cup kale, 1 cup cabbage, 1/4 cup parsley
- Pour in 6 cups (1.4L) of chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the par-baked meatballs, and simmer for 10–15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the greens are tender. If the soup reduces too much, add up to 1 cup (240ml) of water.6 cups chicken stock (chicken broth or chicken bouillon)
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it sits — add a splash of broth when reheating.
Freezer-friendly: Freeze for up to 3 months. Freeze meatballs and broth together; greens may soften slightly upon thawing.
Make-ahead: Bake the meatballs up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate, or freeze raw meatball portions on a sheet pan and bag them once solid.
Substitutions: Swap kale and cabbage for escarole, spinach, or Swiss chard. Use ground chicken in place of turkey for similar results.
Pro tip: Undercook the meatballs slightly when baking — they finish cooking in the simmering broth, which keeps them tender and allows them to absorb flavour from the soup.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 449kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 42gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 2129mgPotassium: 1251mgFiber: 9gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 6416IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 192mgIron: 6mg
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