Italian Wedding Soup was often served in my fam at holiday time, which is typical of its use also in Italy. The soup features meatballs and escarole, and your standard onions, carrot and celery that appear in many soups.

Usually made with a smaller pasta, my version uses tortellini, which is the way in which my grandmother and my mom always made it. I believe they used an upgrade and more fancy pasta such as tortellini in honor of it being served at Easter, Chrstimas, etc.

In Italian, the soup is called minestra maritata which translates to married soup. I have read that the definition is often mistranslated to mean it is a soup served at weddings, when in reality the term maritata is referencing the marriage of flavors in the dish. Indeed, the vegetables, seasonings and meatballs merge together to create the perfect union of deliciousness.

I make this to celebrate any day, not just holidays.

I chop the soup’s foundation – onion, carrots and celery – before firing up the soup pot so that they are good to go.

Clean your escarole thoroughly. I often rinse and drain at least 2-3 times before chopping.

It’s great to mix your meatballs ahead. Referigerating the meatballs for an hour also helps them hold their shape better in the soup. I often refrigerate the mix and roll them out before cooking them. This soup requires a bit of prep work, but it is SO worth it.

Here’s my recipe!