Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup is made with tender chicken, flavorful meatballs, carrots, celery, leafy escarole, orzo pasta, and a rich chicken broth for a hearty bowl of classic comfort food. This easy Instant Pot recipe delivers all the slow-simmered flavor of traditional Italian Wedding Soup in a fraction of the time.
I love making this soup because it’s hearty enough for dinner but still light and comforting. Between the tender meatballs, shredded chicken, tiny pasta, and fresh greens, every spoonful is packed with flavor. It’s one of those soups my family always looks forward to when the weather starts to cool down. 🍲🥬🍝
Why I Love Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredient Notes
- Olive Oil: I use olive oil to sauté the vegetables and build a flavorful base before pressure cooking.
- Onion, Carrots, and Celery: These classic vegetables give the broth its rich, homemade flavor and are the foundation of a great Italian Wedding Soup.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds the best flavor. I recommend using fresh cloves whenever possible.
- Chicken Broth: I usually use Better Than Bouillon mixed with water, but your favorite chicken broth works just as well.
- Chicken Breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast becomes tender in the Instant Pot and is easy to shred before serving.
- Meatballs: I use small, 1-inch meatballs so they’re easy to eat and cook evenly in the soup. Homemade or frozen meatballs both work well.
- Escarole or Spinach: Escarole is the traditional choice for Italian Wedding Soup, but fresh spinach is an easy substitute and wilts beautifully into the broth.
- Orzo Pasta: Orzo gives the soup its classic texture, but other small pasta shapes like acini di pepe or ditalini can be substituted if needed.
- Eggs and Parmesan Cheese: Whisked eggs and grated Parmesan are stirred into the hot broth at the end to create the signature silky ribbons that make Italian Wedding Soup so special. Freshly grated Parmesan gives the best flavor. 🍲🥬🍝🧀
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How To Make This Soup
- Turn the Instant Pot to the Sauté setting and add the olive oil. Add the chopped onion, celery, and minced garlic.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften.
- Pour in the chicken broth, then add the chicken breast and meatballs. Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing.
- Cook on High Pressure (Manual) for 10 minutes.
- Carefully perform a quick release once the cooking time is complete. Remove the chicken breasts and shred them with two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot. Stir in the chopped escarole (or spinach) and the orzo pasta.
- Secure the lid again and cook on High Pressure (Manual) for 2 minutes. Perform another quick release.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and grated Parmesan cheese until well combined.
- Slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the hot soup while stirring continuously. The heat from the soup will gently cook the eggs, creating the signature silky ribbons found in traditional Italian Wedding Soup.
- Serve hot with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. 🍲🥬🍝🧀
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
Tips I found Helpful
- I make the meatballs about 1 inch in size so they cook evenly and are easy to eat.
- I sauté the onion, celery, and garlic before pressure cooking to build a richer, homemade flavor.
- I shred the chicken while it’s still warm because it comes apart much more easily.
- I chop the escarole into bite-sized pieces so it wilts quickly and is easy to eat in every spoonful.
- I stir the egg and Parmesan mixture into the soup slowly while stirring constantly to create the classic silky egg ribbons.
- I always use freshly grated Parmesan cheese because it melts better and gives the soup the best flavor.
- My favorite way to serve Italian Wedding Soup is with extra Parmesan cheese and a slice of warm crusty Italian bread for dipping. 🍲🥬🍝🧀
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen meatballs?
Yes! Fully cooked frozen meatballs work great in this recipe. There’s no need to thaw them before adding them to the Instant Pot.
Can I use spinach instead of escarole?
Absolutely! Fresh spinach is an excellent substitute and wilts quickly into the hot broth.
Can I use a different pasta?
Yes! Orzo is traditional, but small pasta shapes like acini di pepe, ditalini, or stelline all work well.
Why do I add the eggs at the end?
The whisked eggs create the classic silky ribbons that Italian Wedding Soup is known for. As long as the soup is hot, the eggs will cook as you stir them in.
Can I freeze Italian Wedding Soup?
Yes, but keep in mind that the pasta may become softer after thawing. If you’re making the soup specifically for freezing, you can cook and add the pasta when reheating for the best texture.
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes! The broth tastes even better the next day. If you’re preparing it ahead, you may want to cook the orzo separately and add it when serving so it doesn’t absorb too much of the broth.
What should I serve with Italian Wedding Soup?
I love serving it with warm, crusty Italian bread, Cheesy garlic bread, a simple green salad, or extra grated Parmesan cheese on top. 🍲🥬🍝🧀
More Soup Recipes
Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup
This Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup is a hearty, comforting soup made with tender chicken, flavorful meatballs, orzo pasta, escarole, and a rich chicken broth. Finished with a silky egg and Parmesan mixture, it's a classic Italian favorite that's easy enough for weeknights and perfect for cozy family dinners.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 2 stalks chopped celery
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1 pound meatballs, 1" meatballs
- 1 head Escarole or fresh spinach
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tbsp parm cheese
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to the Sauté setting and add the olive oil.
- Add the chopped onion, celery, and minced garlic. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to soften.
- Pour in the chicken broth, then add the chicken breast and meatballs.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure (Manual) for 10 minutes.
- Carefully perform a quick release once the cooking time is complete.
- Remove the chicken breasts and shred them with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot.
- Stir in the chopped escarole (or spinach) and the orzo pasta.
- Secure the lid again and cook on High Pressure (Manual) for 2 minutes. Perform another quick release.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and grated Parmesan cheese until well combined.
- Slowly drizzle the egg mixture into the hot soup while stirring continuously. The heat from the soup will gently cook the eggs, creating the signature silky ribbons found in traditional Italian Wedding Soup.
- Serve hot with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. 🍲🥬🍝🧀
Notes
Sauté the onions, celery, and garlic before pressure cooking to build the best flavor. Use 1-inch meatballs so they cook evenly and are easy to eat. After shredding the chicken, stir in the escarole and orzo before the second pressure cook. When adding the egg and Parmesan mixture, slowly drizzle it into the hot soup while stirring continuously to create the classic silky egg ribbons. Finish each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve with warm crusty Italian bread for the perfect comforting meal. 🍲🥬🍝🧀
Hi, are your meatballs cooked before you put them in the pot, or raw?
Raw
Hi there. I’m new to the instant pot. I have made 3 dishes so far and 2 were from your site!! My question to you is about your Italian wedding soup. When you say NPR is that until the pin drops or only for a set time then do a quick release. Soup turned out great, the total cooking time start to finish was 2 hrs 53 mins. With the NPR times being 16 mins and then 50 mins. Thanks for your info. Dan.
Hi! We are trying this recipe tonight! Can you tell me when the carrots should be added? We put in for the first 10 minutes of cooking? It’s in the pot now but for the future!
I put them in the whole time
You might want to update the recipe. I followed it and almost missed putting the carrots in since they’re not in the instructions.
I made it tonight for my lunch tomorrow. Can’t wait to try it!
FYI – Adding the celery (I forgot that in step one too) and the carrots in the 2 minute cooking period still cooks them just fine. I caved and had a small bowl tonight instead of waiting for lunch tomorrow. Delicious!
The flavor was great, however, I needed to increase the Chicken Broth (Better Than Bouillon) from 4 cups to 8 cups as the soup was way too thick for my taste. I ended up with a total of 14 cups of a very delicious soup.
There is no recipe for the meatballs? How did you make them?
When adding the 2 eggs and parmesan cheese…is it the whole eggs or just the yolks?
Are you using the already made and frozen meatballs to this soup?
You are not making them from scratch??
Also, 1 cup of pasta is way to much. I would only put a ¼cup.