Food Recipes Soups Meat Soups Italian Wedding Soup with Tiny Meatballs and Escarole 5.0 (3) 2 Reviews This cozy soup features bite-size pork meatballs and pearls of pasta in a savory broth. By Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer. Anna has been working in People Inc. test kitchens since 2017, and her recipes and writing have appeared in over 10 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. When not in the kitchen, Anna enjoys hiking with her son, husband, and two dogs, and fostering puppies for a local animal rescue group. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 26, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Morgan Hunt Ward / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Active Time: 50 mins Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Servings: 6 Jump to recipe Escarole adds a subtle bitterness that balances the rich broth and pork meatballs, while a finishing sprinkle of Parmesan ties it all together.Browning the meatballs creates a deeply savory crust and helps them hold their shape in the soup’s broth.Cooking the pasta separately and adding before serving prevents the pasta from absorbing too much broth, ensuring a clean, not cloudy, soup. Bite-size pork meatballs are paired with tiny pearls of pasta and ribbons of pleasantly bitter escarole in this comforting soup. Despite its name, this soup actually isn’t a common dish at Italian weddings. The name comes from the phrase minestra maritata, meaning “married soup” in Italian, referring to the marriage of flavors between the leafy greens and meat. 14 Pasta Soup Recipes Full of Broth, Beans, and Comfort This recipe was inspired by a family favorite of Amy Racine, Beverage Director and Partner at JF Restaurants in New York City. Racine loves to pair the soup with white wine. “Andrea Felici’s Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi is bright, clean, and textural — a beautiful match for the meatballs and greens in this soup. This dish comes from my paternal grandmother, who kept Italian culture alive in her American home in an everyday way. I make it at the start of fall when I want something grounding and familiar, always with a piece of Parmesan on the table to grate over the top.” Tips for shaping the tiny meatballs Rolling 80 little meatballs can feel like a daunting task, but it’s actually quicker than it seems. Use a one-teaspoon measuring spoon or a very small cookie scoop to effortlessly portion and shape the meatballs. You can also recruit help from a friend or family member to make it go quicker. Either way, the meatballs are worth the effort and can be shaped up to one day in advance. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Any small pasta like ditalini, stelline, or orzo can be used instead of acini di pepe. If escarole is unavailable, substitute lacinato kale or Swiss chard. Suggested pairing Amy Racine of JF Restaurants in New York City recommends a lightly minerally Italian white, such as Andrea Felici Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. This recipe was developed by Anna Theoktisto; the text was written by Paige Grandjean. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings 3/4 cup acini di pepe pasta 1 pound ground pork 1/2 cup panko 3 tablespoons whole milk 1 large egg 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup), divided, plus more for serving (optional) 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (about 6 garlic cloves), divided 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups) 2 large carrots, scrubbed and thinly sliced (about 1 cup) 2 large celery stalks, trimmed and chopped (about 3/4 cup) 8 cups chicken broth 4 cups chopped escarole Directions Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high. Add pasta; cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water; set aside. Combine ground pork, panko, milk, egg, 1/2 cup grated cheese, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until combined. Form mixture into 80 to 90 (3/4-inch) meatballs, about 1 teaspoon each. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add half of the meatballs; cook, undisturbed, until well browned on bottom side, 2 to 3 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 2 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a large plate using a slotted spoon. Repeat cooking process with remaining meatballs. Set aside. Add onion, carrot, celery, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1 tablespoon garlic to Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1 teaspoon oregano, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Add meatballs to Dutch oven; simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add escarole and remaining 1/4 cup cheese; cook until escarole is just wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cooked pasta. Serve with additional grated cheese, if desired. Make ahead The uncooked meatballs can be shaped and stored in the refrigerator, covered, on a large rimmed baking sheet for up to one day. Proceed with the recipe as directed. Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.