Minestra Maritata - Italian Wedding Soup

Minestra Maritata

If you grew up Italian or Italian-American, you probably know this soup without ever questioning its name: tiny meatballs, leafy greens, golden broth, and little pearls of pasta swimming together in perfect harmon

But here’s the twist — Italian Wedding Soup has nothing to do with weddings.

The original name is minestra maritata, which means “married soup”. Not because it was served at weddings, but because it represents the marriage of flavors — meat and greens, rich and bitter, savory and fresh — brought together in one pot.

In Southern Italy (especially Campania, Naples, and parts of Sicily), cooks believed that certain ingredients were meant to be together.

Leafy bitter greens like:

• escarole

• chicory

• dandelion

• broccoli rabe

were paired with rich meats:

• pork

• beef

• chicken

• sausage

• meatballs

When simmered together in broth, they created a balance that was deeper than either ingredient alone. That harmony was called maritata — married.

So minestra maritata is really: “A soup where everything belongs together.”

Italian-Americans eventually added tiny meatballs, pasta, and a clearer broth, creating the version we know today as Italian Wedding Soup — lighter, brighter, and perfect for family dinners, holidays, and Sunday tables.

Recipe

Serves 12

Ingredients

For Meatballs

• 3 lb ground chicken / beef

• 3 eggs

• 1 1/2 cups of seasoned breadcrumbs

• 1 1/2 cups of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

For Soup

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 onion, finely diced

• 6 carrots, finely diced

• 6 stalks celery, finely diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 16 cups good chicken broth

• 3 large heads of escarole, washed and chopped

• 4 cups acini di pepe or small pasta

• Salt & pepper to taste

• Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

Instructions

1. Build the Base

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

  Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté 5–7 minutes until soft and fragrant.

  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

2. Add the Liquid

• Pour in broth and bring to a gentle simmer.

3. Cook the meatballs

• Combine meatball ingredients into a bowl and roll into tiny meatballs.

• Add the raw meatballs directly into the simmering broth.

• Do NOT stir for the first few minutes - let them set.

4. Add the Greens

• Stir in the chopped escarole. It will feel like it’s to much, it’s not! It wilts down into silky ribbons in 2-3 minutes.

5. Add the Past

• Add acini di pepe and simmer until just tender, about 9 minutes.

• Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

• Ladle into bowls and finish with plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a crack of black pepper.