Vegan Italian Wedding Soup With Quinoa Meatballs

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5 from 5 votes

Vegan Italian Wedding Soup With Quinoa Meatballs

This Italian soup with quinoa meatballs is a hearty and filling bowl. Orzo is a small rice-shaped pasta; if you can’t find it, use pearl couscous (often labeled Israeli couscous) or another small pasta shape. Excited to try this comforting and delicious Italian soup with meatballs?

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 292kcal

Author: Michelle Cehn

Ingredients

For the quinoa meatballs:

1 cup cooked diced potato or sweet potato or squash
1 cup cooked quinoa or buckwheat or short grain rice
2 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup
1 teaspoon dried herbs
1 teaspoon salt or ½ a teaspoon if using ketchup
2 - 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast optional
olive oil for preparing the baking sheet optional

For the Italian wedding soup:

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 carrots chopped
½ chopped onion
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced or ½ a teaspoon garlic powder
salt to taste
8 cups water
1 cup orzo or pearled couscous
1 tablespoon dried herbs
black pepper freshly ground
2 cups chopped spinach or kale or chard

Instructions

For the meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil or line it with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Smash the cooked potato in a bowl. Add the quinoa, tomato paste, dried herbs, salt, and nutritional yeast (if using). Toss to mix well. Form the mixture into about 20 balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced slightly apart. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip each meatball and bake for 15 minutes more.
Transfer the meatballs to a large plate to cool.

For the Italian Soup:

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, garlic (if using fresh), and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.
Add the water, orzo, and dried herbs (plus the garlic powder, if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper and bring the soup to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer until the orzo is soft, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the meatballs and chopped greens to wilt. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.

Notes

How to Store:

Refrigerator: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. The flavors will continue to meld, making the soup even tastier the next day!
Freezer: To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the soup without the pasta or quinoa meatballs, as they can become mushy when reheated. Simply add freshly cooked orzo and meatballs when reheating.
Reheating: When ready to enjoy, thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Add a splash of veggie broth or water if the soup has thickened too much.

Nutrition