This Vegan Italian Wedding Soup is a cozy, comforting dish made with vegan meatballs, and acini de pepe pasta. It's a hearty, nourishing, soup for cold weather.
One of my favorite things to do is make plant-based versions of truly classic recipes. After making my seitan meatballs (hello flavor AND protein) I knew this Italian wedding soup was the next use-case for the meatballs.
I loaded the meatballs with Italian seasoning, so they fit perfectly into the soup.
This vegetable-pasta soup is rich and flavorful, and loaded with bursts of herby meatballs!
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What Is Italian Wedding Soup?
Italian wedding soup is a traditional Italian-American recipe with meatballs, small pasta, and broth.
The "wedding" in the name, refers not to actual weddings but to the marriage of flavors.
This vegan version replaces regular meatballs with a plant-based version. For a delightful plant-based twist.
Why You'll Love This Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
- Vegan comfort food - captures the flavor of traditional Italian wedding soup with vegan-friendly ingredients
- Protein-packed - seitan meatballs help give this dish similar macros to the classic soup
- Dietary needs - this recipe is plant-based, oil-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free
- Simple ingredients - there are only a few basic ingredients in this soup. Nothing weird or hard to find!
- Twist on a classic - everything you love about Italian wedding soup, but made vegan
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Vegan Meatballs: I used my Seitan Meatballs, which have extra protein from vital wheat gluten. For a gluten-free option, use my Oil Free Vegan Meatballs. Or feel free to use a store bought vegan meatball
- Yellow Onion, Celery, Carrots: the strong flavor base of the soup
- Garlic
- Bay Leaf
- Salt & Pepper
- Vegetable Stock: choose your favorite veggie broth, or use stock for more flavor
- Acini de Pepe: this small pasta create delightful little pearls of pasta in the soup. You can also use orzo or white rice or couscous
- Fresh Parsley: for garnish
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Prepare the seitan meatballs.
Step 2. While the meatballs are baking, in a large pot or dutch oven, sauté the onion, celery, and carrots over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the veggies start to soften. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Step 3. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds.
Step 4. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
Step 5. When the broth is boiling, add the pasta and cook at a boil according to the package instructions.
Step 6. Serve the soup. Add meatballs by the bowl and garnish with parsley. Only add meatballs to dish as needed for serving or they will get soggy - store meatballs separately.
FAQ & Expert Tips
A small pasta like acini de pepe or orzo will work best, for the most authentic texture.
For meatballs, head to my oil-free vegan meatballs recipe, which is gluten-free.
And instead of pasta, choose a gluten-free orzo, like Banza's chickpea orzo. Or use rice.
Because the meatballs are made of beans and flour, not meat, be sure to store them separately from the soup, or else they'll get soggy.
Store soup and meatballs separately in airtight containers for up to a week.
Some Italian wedding soups also include greens - feel free to step up the veggies with a few handfuls of kale or spinach. Add right at the end to lightly cook.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this soup that warms us up in cold weather. Allow it to nourish our bodies. Amen.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Batch Seitan Meatballs OR ½ Batch Oil Free Vegan Meatballs for GF; I used my seitan meatballs rolled into a smaller size
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion small diced
- 4 Stalks Celery small diced
- 3 Medium Carrots small diced
- 6 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ Teaspoon Pepper
- 8 Cups Vegetable Stock
- ½ Cup Acini de Pepe
- ¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the seitan meatballs.
- While the meatballs are baking, in a large pot or dutch oven, sauté the onion, celery, and carrots over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the veggies start to soften. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil.
- When the broth is boiling, add the pasta and cook at a boil according to the package instructions.
- Serve the soup. Add meatballs by the bowl and garnish with parsley. Only add meatballs to dish as needed for serving or they will get soggy - store meatballs separately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Kerstin
This looks so good and I will make it this week. Thank you.
Elizabeth, I make my own broth with all veggie scraps or not so fresh veggies, by using my crockpot. First I collect all myveggie scraps, including potato peels , or anything that’s not so wonderful and freeze them in a plastic bag. Then when I need broth, the frozen veggies go into the pot with after and lots of fresh herbs ( can use dried ) some salt and set for 8 hours on low and then when cooled cooked veggies go into a sieve And the scraps into a hole in my yard.