Giada Italian wedding soup simmers tiny beef and pork meatballs with curly endive in chicken broth, then finishes with whisked eggs swirled into the pot. And it serves 8 at around 250 calories in about 35 minutes, since the small meatballs cook through in just 8.
Where most wedding soup recipes bake or brown the meatballs separately, Giada De Laurentiis drops them raw straight into the simmering broth. That shortcut saves time, while the meatballs release their fat directly into the liquid and enrich the broth as they cook.
The detail that makes or breaks this soup is the egg drizzle at the end, because pouring it in too fast creates clumps instead of thin ribbons. Stir the broth in a circle first, then drizzle slowly so the moving liquid pulls the egg into delicate strands.
Source: Everyday Italian (Giada De Laurentiis)
Giada Italian Wedding Soup
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings25
minutes10
minutes250
kcalGrated onion, parsley, garlic, bread, and Parmesan bind the ground beef and pork into tiny 1-inch meatballs. Then 12 cups of chicken broth come to a boil before the meatballs and chopped endive drop in together. And once everything simmers for 8 minutes, a mixture of whisked eggs and Parmesan swirls through to finish.
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
1 small onion, grated
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large egg
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, torn into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
8 oz ground beef
8 oz ground pork
Freshly ground black pepper
- For the soup:
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb curly endive, coarsely chopped
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Mix the meatball base: In a large bowl, stir together the grated onion, parsley, egg, garlic, salt, and torn bread pieces until combined.
- Add the meat: Then fold in the Parmesan, ground beef, ground pork, and a few grinds of pepper, mixing just until everything holds together.
- Shape the meatballs: Using about 1 1/2 teaspoons of mixture for each, roll them into 1-inch balls, then set them on a baking sheet.
- Bring the broth to a boil: While you finish the meatballs, heat the 12 cups of chicken broth in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the meatballs and endive: Once the broth boils, carefully drop in all the meatballs and the chopped curly endive together.
- Simmer until cooked: Reduce to a steady simmer and cook about 8 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the endive turns tender.
- Whisk the egg mixture: While the soup simmers, beat the 2 eggs with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan in a small bowl until blended.
- Create the egg ribbons: Stir the soup in a circular motion, then slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth while stirring gently with a fork.
- Season and serve: Let the egg strands set for about 1 minute, then taste the soup and adjust with salt and pepper before ladling into bowls with extra Parmesan on top.
FAQs
Can I use escarole instead of curly endive?
The recipe notes escarole as a direct substitute, and it works well since both are sturdy bitter greens that hold up in hot broth. Escarole has wider, slightly milder leaves, so the soup tastes a little less peppery than with curly endive.
Baby spinach or chopped kale are other options, though neither brings the traditional bitterness that balances the rich meatballs. Add spinach in the last 2 minutes only, because it wilts much faster than endive and turns slimy if it simmers too long.
Why does the recipe use bread in the meatballs?
The torn bread soaks up moisture from the egg, onion, and meat juices, which keeps the meatballs tender after they cook. Without it, the 1-inch balls tighten up in the hot broth and turn dense, since there is nothing inside to hold moisture.
Fresh white bread works best because it absorbs evenly and disappears into the mixture. Dried breadcrumbs are a common substitute, but they create a slightly grainier texture, so use about 3 tablespoons if you go that route. For another Giada recipe that uses the same bread-in-meatball technique, try her Giada chicken piccata meatballs.
What does stirring the broth before adding the eggs actually do?
The circular motion creates a current that pulls the egg mixture into long, thin ribbons as it hits the hot liquid. Without that motion, the eggs pool in one spot and cook into thick, scrambled clumps instead of delicate strands.
Drizzle speed matters just as much, so pour in a slow, steady stream rather than dumping the bowl in all at once. A fork works better than a spoon for stirring at this stage, because the tines separate the strands as they form.
How long does this soup keep, and can I freeze it?
The soup stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days, though the meatballs absorb broth as they sit, so add a splash when reheating. The endive softens more each day, but the flavor actually deepens overnight as the meatball seasoning spreads through the liquid.
Freezing works for up to 2 months, but leave out the egg ribbons if you plan to freeze, since they turn rubbery after thawing. Make the egg drizzle fresh when you reheat the soup, because it only takes a minute and the texture stays right.
Can I double this recipe for a larger group?
The meatball mixture doubles cleanly, and you just need a bigger pot to hold 24 cups of broth. Keep the meatballs at 1 inch so they still cook through in 8 minutes, since larger ones need longer and throw off the timing for the endive.
Double the egg drizzle as well, but add it in two batches so the broth stays hot enough to set the eggs on contact. For another Giada soup that scales well for a crowd, her Giada beef and butternut squash stew uses the same one-pot approach with heartier ingredients.
