Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup made with homemade meatballs filling and flavorful soup the whole family will love. It’s quick and easy to make in the pressure cooker for busy weeknights.
I don’t know about you, but I have been obsessed with making soups in my Instant Pot lately. They always just come out so amazingly flavorful, and they’re so easy to make.
This recipe for Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup is one of my favorites, and I know it will be one of yours, too!
In case you haven’t tried my other Instant Pot soup recipes, you will want to check out my Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Lasagna Soup, and Zuppa Toscana Soup. They make an easy and quick yet delicious and filling meal you’d want in your back pocket, especially for busy weeknights.
And I have a few more lined up, so I hope you check back here often!
Italian Wedding Soup originated in Naples, and it actually has nothing to do with weddings. Called minestra maritata in Italy, it’s traditionally enjoyed around Christmas or Easter.
The name is a mistranslation with more to do with the “marriage” of flavors rather than an actual marriage.
Either way, this soup is delicious, and I love making it in the pressure cooker! Even though it’s not the traditional way of making it, I think the Italians would approve.
Ingredients
- Meatballs- we use turkey meatballs because they’re a little healthier. Make from scratch and cook them in the Instant Pot before you build the rest of the soup!
- Vegetables are a great way to add flavor, and this soup has onions, celery, carrots, and baby spinach.
- Chicken Broth- if f you make your own chicken stock, this would be a great way to use it. If not, it’s fine to use store-bought broth.
- Acini di Pepe Pasta-the name of this pasta in Italian means “seeds of pepper” because they resemble tiny little peppercorns. They cook really quickly and are the traditional choice for Italian Wedding Soup.
- Spices- an all-purpose Italian Seasoning is perfect for this recipe, along with salt and pepper to taste.
Helpful tips
- The homemade meatballs are made of ground turkey but feel free to swap with chicken or beef. To skip the extra work, use store-bought frozen meatballs.
- The recipe calls for fresh spinach, but other leafy greens such as escarole, kale, chard, curly endive, or chicory are also great options.
- If you can’t find acini de pepe, tiny kinds of pasta such as tubetini, stars, ditalini, or orzo work well in the soup, too!
- Since the meatballs and pasta have varied cooking times, acini de pepe after the pressure is released and cook on SAUTE mode for about 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente.
The soup is traditionally finished off with an egg-parmesan mixture to add extra flavor and a silky texture. We skipped it for this pressure cooker wedding soup recipe but go ahead and add it if you like.
Parmesan-Egg Mixture
- In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs with 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- When the pasta is tender, stir the soup in a circular motion.
- Slowly add the egg-cheese mixture in a stream, stirring with a fork to form thin egg strands. Continue to cook for one minute.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and add the spinach.
How to serve
- Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup makes a delicious meal starter or a meal-in-itself. Enjoy with crusty bread loaf and a side salad for a filling lunch or dinner.
- It’s a great make-ahead meal and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let cool completely and store in a container with a tight-fitting lid or resealable bags.
- Reheat in a saucepot over low heat to 165 F.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
For the Soup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup Acini de Pepe pasta
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Equipment
- 6 qt- Pressure cooker
Instructions
- In a large bow, combine ground turkey, egg, Italian bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, powder, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir until well-distributed but do not overmix.
- Shape turkey mixture into 1-inch diameter small meatballs and set aside.
- PRESS the SAUTE mode button on the Instant Pot. When HOT appears on the display, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Place a layer of the meatballs in the Instant Pot and cook for about 3 minutes, turning as needed to brown all sides. Cook the meatballs in 2 to 3 batches, adding more olive oil as needed.
- Carefully remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil olive. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 to 4 minutes or until softened.
- Add the meatballs, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste on top of the vegetables.
- Add the chicken broth. Do NOT stir.
- Turn off the SAUTE setting. Close and lock the lid, and set the floating valve in the SEALING. Cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes.
- Once finished, do a QUICK RELEASE. Carefully remove the lid.
- Press the SAUTE MODE again and add the acini de pepe. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until al dente.
- Press the CANCEL button to turn off the SAUTE mode. Add the baby spinach and push down into the broth.
- Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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