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A bowl of Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup featuring tender meatballs, carrots, fresh greens, and couscous, served with crusty bread and a gold spoon.
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Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Slow cooker Italian wedding soup with tender sausage meatballs, tiny acini di pepe pasta, carrots, and spinach in a light, savory chicken broth.
Course Dinner, Main, Pasta, Soup, Soups
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword dinner, fall, main, pasta, Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup, soup, winter
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 336kcal
Author Ksenia Prints

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground Italian sausage
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup uncooked acini di pepe pasta
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan plus more for serving

Instructions

  • Roll the sausage into small, bite-sized meatballs, about 1 inch each. You should get 20 to 24 meatballs.
  • Brown meatballs on all sides in a skillet over medium heat. They don't need to cook through. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  • Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker. Pour in chicken broth and stir in Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  • Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours or high 3 to 4 hours, until vegetables are tender and meatballs are cooked through.
  • About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the acini di pepe. Cover and cook until the pasta is tender.
  • Stir in spinach and Parmesan. Cook 5 to 10 minutes, just until the spinach wilts.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley.

Notes

  • Keep the meatballs small. They cook more evenly and stay tender in the slow cooker.
  • Browning the meatballs first helps them hold together instead of breaking apart during the long cook.
  • Add the pasta near the end. Acini di pepe cooks quickly and turns mushy if added too early.
  • Thin with extra broth or water before serving if the soup has thickened too much.
  • Substitutions: ground chicken or turkey sausage for the Italian sausage, orzo or ditalini for the acini di pepe, kale or escarole for the spinach, Romano or Asiago for the Parmesan, and vegetable broth for a lighter version.
  • Refrigerate up to 4 days. If freezing, leave out the pasta and spinach and add them fresh when reheating; freezes up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 1795mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 6122IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2mg