Italian Wedding Soup – East Side Mario’s Copycat

If you’ve ever been to East Side Mario’s, you likely had their all-you-can-eat Italian Wedding Soup served before the main entree. As the weather cools down, this is precisely the kind of soup that I find myself constantly craving. And if you never had this soup before, let me tell you why you should! It is an Italian soup recipe with comforting broth, mini meatballs, tiny pasta, and fresh leafy greens. It is the perfect recipe for a cold day and an all-time favorite. So, since its nearly winter, I thought it would be an excellent idea to share this Italian wedding soup- East side Mario’s copy cat recipe with you.

And, here is the best part: if you make some extra meatballs, you can freeze them! Then, next time you’re in the mood for soup, you can whip this up faster than it takes to get to East Side Mario’s and be served. It’s truly that easy and quick! 

By the way have you tried my Chicken Parmigiana Recipe? I think it’s better than Mario’s!

Ultimate Chicken Parmigiana (just like Mario’s)

Now Back to our Italian Wedding Soup Recipe:

Equipment:

• 1 large pot
• 1 large bowl

Ingredients:

For the tiny meatballs:

• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb ground extra lean beef
• 1/2 small grated onion (ensure it’s a small onion since too much moisture from a large onion will make shaping the meatballs difficult)
• 2 cloves of grated garlic
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest (optional)
• 3 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp of milk
• 1 Egg
• Salt and pepper to taste (around 1 1/2 teaspoons)

For the soup:

• 3/4 cup of acini de pepe pasta (East Side Mario’s uses this, but you can substitute any other small pasta if unavailable)
• 5 ounces or 140 grams of fresh baby spinach (you can also use frozen chopped spinach, but in that case, use much less, around 30 grams)
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest (optional)
• 8 cups of chicken broth (if using store-bought, 1.5-2 cartons of around 900ml each)
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder 
• Fresh parsley
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Start by combining all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and shape the mixture and shape them into mini round balls. Set them aside for later.

2. Pour chicken stock into a large pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.

3. Once boiling, add the meatballs and let them cook for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic powder and the pasta and to cook according to the instructions on the package. When there are 2 minutes left for the pasta to cook, add the spinach and cook for an additional couple of minutes.

4. Adjust the seasoning with salt to your liking, turn off the heat, and just before serving, add the optional 1/2 tsp of grated lemon zest and freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!

How to Serve: 

• Italian Wedding Soup is typically served hot, garnished with freshly chopped parsley, and sometimes a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
• This soup makes a fantastic lunch option, a convenient choice to take to work, or a satisfying dinner when paired with some delightful crusty bread or even garlic bread!

Storage Instructions:

• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
• While I don’t recommend freezing the entire soup, freezing the meatballs is a great idea for the next time you’re craving this dish.

To streamline the process, consider doubling or tripling the meatball recipe. Freeze them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and transfer the frozen meatballs to a Ziplock bag. With the most time-consuming part already done, you’ll only need to wash one pan next time, and making it will only take a couple of minutes. 

Common Substitutions/Variations:

• Opt for frozen spinach instead of fresh baby spinach, especially if you plan to freeze extra meatballs. This way, you won’t worry about fresh spinach going uneaten in the fridge.
• Feel free to switch up the protein in the recipe according to your preferences. Ground chicken,  ground beef,  ground pork,  ground turkey, or ground veal all work well for these versatile meatballs.
• You can use homemade chicken broth or store-bought chicken broth. If using store-bought chicken broth I recommend the versions with reduced or no salt added.
• Acini di pepe is sometimes a little hard to find. If you cannot find it at your local grocery store you can use any other shortcut pasta for this recipe. Orzo or Stelline come to mind right now,  but others would work as well. 
• You can use dried parsley instead of fresh if you prefer. 
• You can certainly add more veggies to the soup if you like (even though Mario’s version does not). Many wedding soup versions include carrots and celery. You can certainly include them in your soup if you like. It’s your soup so you are the boss! 
• I have seen some other Italian wedding soup recipes using escarole or curly endive instead of spinach so that is definitely an option if it is your preference. 
• This recipe can also be called minestra maritata in Italian

Italian Wedding Soup (East Side Mario’s Copycat)

5 from 2 votes

Mini meatballs, tiny pasta, and fresh greens make our Italian Wedding Soup (East Side Mario's copycat) a simple yet cozy and satisfying meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:20 minutes mins

Total Time:39 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: meatballs, Soup, wedding

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 333kcal

Author: Claudia

Equipment

• 1 large pot
• 1 large bowl

Ingredients

For the tiny meatballs:

• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb ground extra lean beef
• 1/2 small grated onion ensure it’s a small onion since too much moisture from a large onion will make shaping the meatballs difficult
• 2 cloves of grated garlic
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest optional
• 3 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp of milk
• 1 Egg
• Salt and pepper to taste around 1 1/2 teaspoons

For the soup:

• 3/4 cup of acini de pepe pasta East Side Mario’s uses this, but you can substitute any other small pasta if unavailable
• 5 ounces or 140 grams of fresh baby spinach you can also use frozen chopped spinach, but in that case, use much less, around 30 grams
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest optional
• 7 cups of chicken broth if using store-bought, 2 cartons of around 900ml each
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• Fresh parsley
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Start by combining all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and shape the mixture and shape them into mini round balls. Set them aside for later.
• Pour chicken stock into a large pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.
• Once boiling, add the meatballs and let them cook for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic powder and the pasta and to cook according to the instructions on the package. When there are 2 minutes left for the pasta to cook, add the spinach and cook for an additional couple of minutes.
• Adjust the seasoning with salt to your liking, turn off the heat, and just before serving, add the optional 1/2 tsp of grated lemon zest and freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!

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Notes

Please Note :The displayed calories are an estimated value. Actual calorie content may vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes. Always consult with a nutritionist for precise dietary information

Troubleshooting:

• Difficulty shaping meatballs: If you find it challenging to shape your mini meatballs, add a bit more breadcrumbs. This adjustment should resolve any shaping issues.
• Not enough pasta in the soup: Resist the urge to add more pasta. Trust me on this one. It is enough. Acini di pepe doubles in size while cooking, and adding too much pasta can overpower the soup. Be careful with the amount, as the pasta tends to expand even more as the soup cools. Trust me on this; it’s just right! I often don’t follow my own advice and I regret it every. single. time. 

FAQs:

This delicious Italian Wedding soup is not only one of my favourite soups, but it is also great recipe for the whole family. Especially if you are surrounded by picky eaters like me. I think that since it does not have many vegetables it must be less intimidating than other soups with tons of vegetables. It’s potentially a great way to get them to eat soup for the first time.

 What did you think of today’s recipe? Let me know if you tried it and if you have any questions don’t be shy! Your feedback is always welcome. Leave me a comment down below! 

Looking for more soup recipes?

Effortless Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Instant Pot Roasted Beet Soup

And don’t forget to try Ultimate Chicken Parmigiana (just like Mario’s)