Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

5 from 10 votes

Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup is a broth-based soup with small pasta and meatballs, named for the Italian phrase "married soup" because the flavors come together so well.

Prep Time15

Cook Time6 30

Total Time6 45

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 228kcal

Author: Taylor Ellingson

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1 white onion diced
2 carrots diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
12 ounces frozen meatballs
¾ cup acini de pepe pasta dried (orzo would also work)
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups chopped baby spinach
shredded Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

In a large slow cooker, add all of the ingredients except for the pasta and spinach.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Add the pasta for the last 20 minutes.
Add the spinach, and stir until wilted.
Serve topped with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Storage. Store leftover soup in an airtight container for 3-4 days. This soup also freezes well, but freezes best without the pasta. You can add freshly cooked pasta to the thawed and warmed soup.

Freezer Meal. This soup is easily made into a freezer meal. Simply add the diced onion, carrots, spices, garlic, and meatballs to a large freezer bag. I like to make my freezer meals using chicken bouillon so I don't have to freeze a lot of liquid, so add the recommended amount of chicken bouillon for 8 cups of broth to the freezer bag.

Stovetop Version. While this recipe is crazy easy in the slow cooker, you can also make it on the stovetop. Sauté the onion and carrots in 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter until they're softened. Then add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and cook another minute. Add the meatballs and broth and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the pasta and cook another 10 minutes. Lastly, stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.

Nutrition