Turkey Meatball Italian Wedding Soup Recipe — Quick Weeknight Meal

This is a comforting Italian Wedding Soup with turkey meatballs made from scratch. Tender mini turkey meatballs simmer in a savory chicken broth with small pasta, vegetables, and fresh spinach. The recipe is straightforward and ready in under an hour—ideal for chilly evenings.

Ingredients

• Homemade Mini Turkey Meatballs: Ground turkey, mild Italian chicken sausage (casing removed), seasoned breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, egg, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Vegetables: Chopped carrots, celery, diced onion, minced garlic, and baby spinach.
• Olive Oil: For sautéing the vegetables.
• Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth forms the soup base.
• Seasoning: Bay leaf, dried thyme, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Pasta: Any tiny pasta works—acini di pepe is recommended.
• Lemon: Juice of half a lemon to brighten the flavors.

The full ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card below.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Making this Italian Wedding Soup is simple. Preparing the mini meatballs takes the most time, but once they’re formed, the soup comes together quickly.

1. Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl combine ground turkey, chicken sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until evenly combined. Form into roughly 1-inch meatballs. You should have about 40–50 small meatballs. Set aside.
2. Sauté the vegetables. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped carrots, celery and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 4–5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add minced garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
3. Simmer the soup. Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf and dried thyme. Bring the broth to a boil, then gently add the turkey meatballs. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4–5 minutes. Stir in the acini di pepe (or other small pasta) and simmer until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Add the baby spinach, parsley and lemon juice and cook 1–2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
4. Finish and serve. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan if desired. Serve warm with crusty bread.

Tip: Wet your hands with cold water when forming meatballs to prevent sticking—this makes shaping them faster and easier.

Serving Suggestions

This soup is perfect for a cozy night at home. Pair it with a simple salad and crusty bread for a complete meal.

• Serve with warm crusty bread or garlic toast.
• Garnish with extra freshly shredded Parmesan.
• Make ahead for weekly meals: cool, separate broth and pasta (to prevent sogginess), then refrigerate for 3–4 days.

Storage tip: Store broth and pasta separately if you plan to refrigerate leftovers—this helps keep the pasta from soaking up too much liquid and becoming mushy.

More Recipes

If you enjoy this soup, try other comforting autumn and winter dishes for seasonal inspiration.

• Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
• Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
• Creamy Orzo Chicken Soup
• Baby Bella Mushroom Risotto
• Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

Feedback: If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a comment and rating—it’s helpful for others and appreciated by the recipe author.