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Bowl of Vegan Italian Wedding Soup with a spoon.
Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
 

This vegan Italian wedding soup is delicious, comforting, and full of flavor! Made with hearty cannellini bean "meatballs," tender orzo, fennel and spinach, it's packed with vibrant flavors and perfect for cozying up with on a chilly day.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 299 kcal
Author: Alissa
Ingredients
For the Cannellini Bean Meatballs
  • 1 (15.5 ounce/439 gram) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional, plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil, or as needed
For the Soup:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 1 medium fennel bulb, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 8 cups vegetable broth
  • ¾ cup dried orzo pasta
  • 6 ounces fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped if they are large (about 6 cups)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
For Serving
Instructions
Make the Meatballs:
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Place all ingredients except for the olive oil into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the machine until all ingredients are well chopped and mixed, stopping to scrape down the inside of the bowl as needed.

  3. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls, using about 2 teaspoons of mixture per ball (Note 1). You will get about 30 to 35 of them. Arrange the balls the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray or brush them with olive oil.

  4. Bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes, until they're browned on the bottoms.

Make the Soup:
  1. Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrots and fennel. Sweat the vegetables until they begin to soften a bit, about 10 minutes.

  2. Add the garlic to the pot and sauté it with the vegetables until it becomes very fragrant, about 1 minute.

  3. Add the wine, thyme, and oregano. Raise the heat and bring the wine to a simmer. Lower the heat and let the wine simmer until it has reduced by about half, which should take about 4 minutes.

  4. Stir in the broth, then raise heat to high. Bring the broth to a boil, then lower the heat and allow it to simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

  5. Stir in the orzo. Continue to simmer the soup until the orzo is al dente, about 10 minutes.

  6. Stir in the spinach and let the soup continue simmering until the spinach has wilted and the pasta is tender, about 2 minutes.

  7. Remove the pot from heat and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

  8. Ladle the soup into bowls, then add a few meatballs to each bowl. Serve with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Notes
  1. You can add a splash of water to the mixture if it seems too dry and you have trouble getting the meatballs to hold together.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
Amount Per Serving (2 cups)
Calories 299 Calories from Fat 86
% Daily Value*
Fat 9.6g15%
Saturated Fat 1.6g8%
Sodium 1296mg54%
Potassium 954mg27%
Carbohydrates 33.5g11%
Fiber 8.3g33%
Sugar 4.8g5%
Protein 13.9g28%
Calcium 90mg9%
Iron 3.8mg21%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.