Slow cooker Italian wedding soup is packed with nutrient-dense veggies, rich protein, and perfectly tender pasta to make a hearty, cozy meal for your family.
Why You'll love this slow cooker italian wedding soup
Easy - This recipe is great for beginners, busy moms, and those who want to get a delicious meal on the table with little hands on time! Also, the homemade meatballs are not intimidating at all, so don't let that extra detail keep you from trying out slow cooker Italian wedding soup!
Nutritious - Carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and fresh herbs as well as spices provide much needed nutrients. With the addition of lean protein and chicken broth, slow cooker Italian wedding soup is a highly nutritious meal!
Comforting - Cooler weather calls for warm, cozy, and comforting dishes like this one. Your serotonin levels are lower when it's colder outside and there's less sunshine. So, eating warm foods brings comfort that your body needs while also boosting your mood.
Great for meal prep - Easily meal prep this recipe by chopping the veggies ahead of time and pre-shaping the meatballs. Keep everything in the fridge until you're ready to cook!
Ingredients
Ground pork
Ground turkey
Breadcrumbs (not pictured) - Any kind of breadcrumbs will work. My personal favorite is homemade sourdough breadcrumbs. I save random pieces of bread (like the end pieces) and keep them in a bag in the freezer. Once the bag is full, I'll thaw the bread, cut it into cubes, and bake at 325 for 30ish minutes, turning halfway through. Then, blend the crisp bread cubes until they turn into breadcrumbs!
Egg
Carrots
Celery
Yellow onion
Garlic cloves, minced
Acini de pepe pasta - Other small pasta like orzo or ditalini can work well in this recipe, too.
Chicken broth - Homemade chicken broth will save you money on this recipe! The next time you buy a whole chicken, save the carcass and add it to a crockpot filled with water, carrots, celery, garlic and onions. Cook everything on low for 10 hours and then strain off the chicken broth.
Kale
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Dried oregano
Salt & pepper
Parmesan (optional for garnish)
Fresh parsley (optional for garnish)
tools you'll need
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Mixing bowl
Cast iron skillet or pan - I use my cast iron skillet every single day, 3 times a day and it has never failed me! A must have kitchen item in my opinion.
Wooden spatula or spoon
Chopping knife
How to Make Italian Wedding Soup in the Crockpot Step-by-Step
First, make the meatballs.
In a large mixing bowl add the ground pork, ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Use a wooden spatula or your hands to mix everything together.
Roll the mixture into small meatballs that are about 1 inch all the way around. Then, place the meatballs in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Brown the meatballs on all sides yet let the middle stay pink. They'll finish cooking once they're in the crockpot. Set them aside.
Second, prep the veggies.
Dice the onion and thinly slice both the celery and carrots.
Thirdly, add ingredients into the crockpot.
To your crockpot, add the browned meatballs, diced vegetables, spices, and chicken broth on top of it all.
Cover the crockpot and allow to cook on high for 3 ½ hours or 7 ½-8 hours on low.
After the 3 ½ hours is up, the carrots should be just softened.
Now, it is time to add in the dry pasta and chopped kale. Give everything a good stir and cook on high for another 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes, the meatballs should be fully cooked through and the pasta cooked to al dente. Then, it is time to serve! Top with shredded parmesan cheese, add more salt/pepper if needed. Serve with desired sides and enjoy!
* If you want to make this in the morning and have it cook all day while you are away, do it on low for 7-8 hours and add the kale and pasta in 30 minutes before serving!
Store slow cooker Italian wedding soup in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months! Storing the soup in a non toxic food container is best!
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Let us know by leaving a comment down below! We'd also love it if you gave this slow cooker Italian wedding soup recipe 5 stars and shared it on Pinterest.
Quick Tips
If you reheat this soup several days after cooking it, you might need to add more chicken broth since the acini de pepe pasta will most likely absorb some of the liquid.
To make this recipe easier than it already is, shape the meatballs ahead of time and put them in an airtight container in the fridge. Cook them whenever you're ready to make the Italian wedding soup!
You can also prep the veggies in advance by chopping them and placing them in an airtight container as well to store in the fridge.
What to serve with italian wedding soup
- Crusty no knead bread is always a great addition to soup!
- Do a classic soup and salad combo by serving it with Caesar salad.
- Dinner rolls are soft, fluffy and the perfect buttery side dish for Italian wedding soup, especially for a crowd.
- A simple homemade garlic bread gives a crisp, crunchy side for this wholesome meal!
Crockpot Italian Wedding Soup
This slow cooker Italian wedding soup is hearty, nutritious and filling. You'll love how easy it is to make for a simple, busy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
For the Mini Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
For the Soup
- 8 cups chicken broth (see notes)
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery stalks, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 1 cup acini de pepe, dry
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Parmesan cheese (optional for garnish)
Instructions
1. Brown the meatballs.
To a medium sized bowl, add the ground pork, ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Using a wooden spatula or your hands, give everything a good stir until everything is evenly distributed.
Roll the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 inch.
Then, in a pan, heated on medium, brown the meatballs on each side. The inside of the meatballs should still be pink. They will finish cooking in the crockpot. Place the browned meatballs on a plate and set aside.
2. Prep the veggies.
Take the carrots, celery, and yellow onion and dice them up into small pieces. About ½ inch thick.
3.Add everything into the crockpot.
To the bottom of a crockpot, add the browned meatballs, prepped veggies, chicken broth, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and minced garlic.
Cover and allow to cook for 3 ½ hours on high or 7 ½-8 hours on low.
4. Add the pasta and kale.
Once cooked for 3 ½ hours on high, or 7 ½-8 hours on low, the carrots should be just soft. Add in the dry acini de pepe pasta and chopped kale into the soup. Cover and allow to cook for another 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up, the meatballs should be fully cooked through.
5. Serve
If desired, top with shredded parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Notes
1. You might need to add additional chicken broth as everything cooks because the noodles tend to absorb the liquid.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 262Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 1693mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 5gSugar: 7gProtein: 16g
Nutrition facts are automatically generated and should only be used as an estimate.
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