Crockpot Italian Wedding Soup
This delicious Italian crockpot wedding soup cooks up perfectly right in your crockpot or slow cooker. Top this soup with a little Parmesan cheese and you have a delicious lunch or dinner of homemade soup!
Here are two great recipes to keep in mind the next time you get one of those massive cravings for fresh Italian wedding soup!
The first recipe takes a bit of time but churns out an excellent soup with plenty of leftovers. The second wedding soup recipe is quick and does not have all the added chicken, but just perfect for a meal of soup and sandwiches.
The first crockpot Italian wedding soup recipe has both chicken AND meatballs!
I am known for my wedding soup and take pride in creating the perfect marriage. The meatballs are the perfect bride and groom making the shredded chicken the perfect bridesmaid.
Since I take the time to cook fresh chicken breast, I normally double the amount and use the leftovers in another soup recipe. The chicken should compliment the soup but leave the marriage bliss to the meatballs.
Only use 1-1/2 cups of the fresh shredded chicken and freeze the rest to use later in the week to save time on a weeknight meal.
It takes a little bit of time to make Italian wedding soup with chicken – but it’s so well worth the effort!
Crockpot Wedding Soup with Fresh Chicken and Meatballs
Fall in love with this delicious wedding soup made with tender chicken and meatballs
- 2-1/2 – 3 lbs. whole chicken breast ((with bone and skin))
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 3-4 carrots, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
- 1 (32 oz.) carton chicken broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons chicken soup base
- 3 cups chopped fresh spinach, chopped fine
- 1/2 cup Acini Di Pepe
- *About 3 cups of additional chicken broth
Meatballs:
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
-
Chop the onions and carrots very fine using a mini food processor. (Save about 1/2 of a carrot and dice into small pieces so you have some bigger pieces as well.)
- Place the onions, garlic and carrots in the bottom of the crock pot. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken pieces and lay them on top of the onions. Add the chicken broth and water. Cook on high for 3 hours.
- Start the meatballs while the chicken is cooking. Mix all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. Fill a rounded teaspoon with the meat mixture and level it off. Roll the meat in your hands and get them as round as possible. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray and lay the meatballs on the cookie sheet in a row. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
- After 3-4 hours, carefully remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred after it has cooled.
- Add 1-1/2 cups of shredded chicken, the meatballs, and the spinach to the crockpot. Cook on high for 1 hour. Add a couple of teaspoons of chicken soup base and taste to see if you need any more.
- Add the pasta to the crock pot and cook until the pasta is tender.
*After the pasta has absorbed a lot of the chicken broth, you may need to add more broth. Keep some extra chicken broth handy.
* Acini Di Pepe is a tiny bead-shaped pasta that is traditionally used in wedding soup.
* Serve the soup with fresh shredded Parmesan cheese.
Here is another recipe when you just want to make a quick Wedding Soup with no fuss. This recipe doesn’t have the chicken, but it’s delicious as well and very easy to prepare.
QUICK CROCKPOT WEDDING SOUP (no chicken)
For the Meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Soup Ingredients:
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 carrots, chopped small (about 1 cup)
8 cups chicken broth
3 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/2 cup uncooked acini de pepe pasta
Mix all of the meatball ingredients together and form into small meatballs using a teaspoon or half tablespoon for measure. Combine all of the soup ingredients in the crock pot with the exception of the uncooked pasta. Place the meatballs into the crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 7 or 8. Add pasta about an 1/2 hour to hour before soup is finished cooking.
- These are two of the best ways to make crockpot wedding soup and both are super-delicious!
