Italian wedding soup is one of my favorites. Tiny pasta, little baby meatballs, and some vegetables snuck in there to make it healthy-ish, it’s a cozy bowl of deliciousness that I want to dive into with a hunk of crusty bread on the side. To keep things easy, I used my crock pot. There are some people out there who prefer the Instant Pot or the Crock Pot exclusively, but I think they both deserve a place in the kitchen. With this slow cooker Italian wedding soup it’s never been easier to make this classic recipe. Smelling it cook all day is the best!
The recipe is simple. Put all the soup base ingredients into the slow cooker and then carefully add in the tiny meatballs. They’ll cook all day and be perfect! I add the spinach in at the end and put the lid back on the slow cooker to help wilt it before stirring into the soup. I cook the orzo pasta on the stove and add that to the bowls before ladeling in the soup. This extra step may be annoying, but I find that cooking the pasta in the soup soaks up too much of the broth and the pasta doesn’t retain the right texture. If you’re storing any leftovers overnight, I recommend storing them in separate containers for this reason as well.
As I always say, soup is a great way to use up leftover vegetables. Some diced sweet potato or zucchini will be perfect hidden in here, same with any type of squash. Go ahead and throw it in! Depending on how much you add in, you may want to add some extra broth as well. This slow cooker Italian wedding soup is as good as it gets!
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 15 oz. canned diced tomatoes
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried ground thyme
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. salt + more to taste
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 6-8 cups chicken broth
- 1 parmesan rind (optional)
- 4-6 cups fresh spinach or baby kale
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1½ lbs. ground turkey
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese + more for topping soup
- In a large skillet or pot, heat olive oil. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery and cook until onions are translucent. Transfer mixture to the slow cooker.
- To the slow cooker add canned tomatoes, red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and parmesan rind. Stir to combine.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl add the ingredients for the meatballs: ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and cheese. Mix with your hands to form small meatballs and add to the slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours.
- Remove parmesan rind when done cooking. Add spinach or baby kale and place the lid on the slow cooker to allow the greens to wilt, then stir into the soup.
- When ready to serve, cook orzo according to package directions. Put a serving into each bowl and ladle soup over it. Top with parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Enjoy!
- Leftovers are best stored in separate containers.
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