Nothing beats a comforting low carb soup on a cold dreary day. This classic Italian Wedding Soup is sure to hit the spot!
So it kinda sorta snowed in Portland yesterday. By which I mean it really wanted to snow but couldn’t quite muster up the energy. There weren’t really visible flakes in the air unless you looked really hard in exactly the right direction with your eyes half-crossed. It seemed like it was really just rain. It But when the raindrops hit my windshield, they hit heavily and left something of a melting snowflake impression. It wasn’t even sleet or freezing rain, it was just Pacific Northwest rain that wanted to be snow but didn’t quite know how. It did actually snow up in the hills near the zoo, but down here it was only kinda sorta snow that didn’t leave a trace on the ground.

It was cold though. The kind of wet cold that chills you to the bone. The kind of wet cold that chills you to the bone and makes you dream of warm comforting soup. Warm comforting soup like Italian Wedding Soup, with luscious meatballs and plenty of parmesan cheese. Only skip the pasta, please, and pop in some cauliflower rice. Now you’ve just amped up your nutrient quotient and managed to warm yourself up. The perfect meal for a day when it kinda sorta snows.
All that’s pretty great, but what if I told you that you could also win this gorgeous soup tureen from Lagostina? It’s a stunning double-walled stainless steel pot that can go from stove to table, it looks so nice. An elegant design with an ash knob so you can lift the lid with your bare hands, no matter how hot it is. The pot itself is also oven-safe, although the lid is not because of the wooden handle. It also comes with a stainless ladle and an ash polenta stick. Ostensibly, this pot is designed for two classic Italian dishes, minestrone and polenta. But it’s truly a multipurpose soup or stewpot. And it retails at Williams Sonoma for $199.
I will be honest and say I’d never heard of Lagostina until I was offered this pot to try. But I’ve poked around a bit and they have some absolutely gorgeous cookware. My experience with the line thus far is extremely favourable. My stove is very high-powered and I often have trouble when I try to sauté onions and other veggies, as they brown too quickly. But the double-walled design of this pot helped me soften them without browning, which is ideal for a soup like Italian Wedding.

- 1 lb ground beef OR ground pork
- 1/2 cup crushed pork rinds OR almond flour
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups riced cauliflower
- 2 cups packed spinach leaves
- Additional salt and pepper
- Parmesan for sprinkling
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In a large bowl, mix together the ground meat, crushed pork rinds, cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add the egg and combine well using your hands.
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Form into 1/2 inch meatballs and place on a waxed paper-lined tray. Refrigerate until ready to add to the soup.
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In a large saucepan or stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, celery, salt, and pepper and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
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Stir in the chicken broth and oregano. Bring to just a boil and then reduce the temperature and simmer 10 minutes.
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Add the cauliflower rice and the meatballs and cook until the meatballs are cooked through and float to the top, about 5 minutes.
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Add the spinach leaves and cook until wilted, 2 minutes more. Season to taste
Serves 6. Each serving has 3.87g NET CARBS.
Food energy: 303kcal
Total fat: 20.16g
Calories from fat: 181
Cholesterol: 73mg
Carbohydrate: 5.73g
Total dietary fiber: 1.86g
Protein: 29.48g
Please note that while I received a Lagostina pot for review, I was not compensated in any other way.
allison Gismondi says
What beautiful Pots!! Perfect for that beautiful soup!!
nicole says
does the cauliflower get cooked before ricing?
Koshie Graham Wyatt says
no, you’ll just end up mashing it if it is already cooked!
janet says
I was just wanting soup last night, and this looks perfect, cause I love Meatballs!
Thanks Carolyn, you came thru again. : )
Dorinda Hathaway says
Beautiful soup pot!
Cheryl says
My favorite comforting soup is old-fashioned chicken noodle.
Rose hart says
Very comforting however noodles are not low carb.
Corey Anderson says
I love Chicken Tortilla Soup and The Moosewood Cookbook’s Kale and White Bean Soup. This pot is gorgeous!
Amanda Chambers says
One of our family favorites is a simple white chili.
Susan Jones says
Tomato soup and grilled cheese- my favorite?
Judi Good says
Carolyn, your soup looks SO delicious. I’m excited to try the meatball recipe!! They look wonderful. My favorite soup at the moment is a curried cauliflower soup!
Lyne says
I love Italien wedding soup. Thank you for giving me us this recipe. I will definitely try it.
Paula says
I’m a soupy kind of girl, so bring it On! Love them All! Cannot wait to try your Italian Wedding Soup!
Cheryl D says
Love minestrone but your italian wedding soup looks delicious!
Kathy says
I tried to enter, but it said it needed a valid email address. I gave them my email address. What can I do now?
Ilana says
I love Vietnamese Pho but rarely make it at home. I do make a really wonderful and comforting Curried Chicken Soup with curry powder and coconut milk.
Rachel Horowitz says
Ooh!! That sounds good!!
Kathy Jo says
I adore Italian wedding soup and have my Italian grandmother’s recipe which I use without adding the ancini de Pepe so your excellent idea for cauli-rice will be even better!!!
Kay Lynn says
Wonderful twist on this recipe to make it low carb.
T Bastress says
I will be trying this recipe soon! I love chunky soups.
Terri Welborn says
I love wedding soup! Do you cook the cauliflower rice before putting it in the soup?
Mary says
Chicken noodle is my go to soup the cookware is beautiful
Lanita Canup says
I love the chicken enchilada soup ! So good
sofie says
Winter is coming, so it’s souptime! This one is on the list!!!
Alexis says
One of my all time fovorite soups, thanks!
Carly Williams says
Broccoli cheddar soup is comforting to me!
Ann Bailey says
Wow! Italian Wedding Soup IS one of my favorite or was my favorite when I was eating orzo and carbs, can’t wait to try this for company this Saturday!!!
Jennifer says
Looks wonderful!
kelly says
your chile rellenos soup!
Kim D. says
I love beef & vegetable soup made like my mother made EXCEPT using daikon radish instead of potatoes.
Becky Winn says
My go-to low-carb soup is a good vegetable beef soup with plenty of low-carb veggies, bay leaf, and Italian seasonings. I use radishes instead of potatoes or other starchy ingredients, along with tomatoes, onions, celery, green beans, cabbage, and whatever seems good at the time. We used to call this “Day-Before-PayDay Soup” because we sort of threw in whatever was left in the fridge.
Lori Kaumans says
This soup looks delicious and the pot is gorgeous! Can’t wait to try this recipe on a cold, snowy day.
Kathy Ulrich says
We have snow on the ground here east of Seattle, and I am enjoying warm soups in a warm house!
Pam says
So far, my favorite comforting soup recipe is a keto bacon cheeseburger soup. Although carby, another favorite of mine is Dutch split pea soup. But your new one might be added to the list!
Sandy Rutkowski says
The soup looks amazing I cannot wait to make it, just as soon as I finish up the Thanksgiving Turkey soup.
Elizabeth Tindal says
My mother used to make a Zucchini Soup that was so delicious. I need to ask her why she doesn’t make that any more. 🙂
Barbara says
I love creamy tomato soup.
Stephanie Deal says
This looks yummy — will have to try this very soon. My favorite soup is Brussel Sprouts Soup. 🙂
Tory says
I always feel comforted when it’s hot, tasty, and my refrigerator has been cleaned out a bit because of it, LOL!
But a wonderful Beef and Cabbage with Caraway recipe of my mom’s always sits well this time of year. And cauliflower rice has made old favorites like Greek Lemon Soup possible again!
grace says
chicken noodle! 🙂
Rachel says
My favorite soup is the chicken bacon sweet potato chowder from IBIH
Kathleen Hanover says
I’m really glad to see a low-carb soup recipe! And the pot looks lovely. It’s such a pleasure to have the right tool for the job when you’re creating recipes. 🙂
Anna Jados says
My mom’s homemade chicken soup is my favorite – my grandma used to make it as well and now I make it (with some adaptations now that I am low carb). Would love to try it in this pot!
valeria woelfel says
love all your recipes. you are one of my favorite low carb bloggers. thanks!
Roz Giancola says
I have never made soup! I haven’t had soup since I eliminated grains & sugar from my diet. I used to love Italian Wedding Soup. Even though I am Italian American, my mother never made the soup from scratch, it was Progresso in a can if we were lucky to get it! The pot is also very lovely, much nicer than anything I own. Thanks for the chance!
Carolyn says
Wow, really? Soup is so easy. The only labour intensive part of this recipe is the meatballs.
Rhadonda says
This soup looks amazing. You are genius with your recipes! And that pot??? Looks divine! Thanks!
Ines says
This is one of the family’s favorite soup normally served on special family get togethers. The pot is gorgeous, as are the ones pictured on their facebook site. The copper one…love it!
Lorel Schmitzberger says
My favorite comforting soup is a hearty vegetable soup with lentils and leafy greens. Healthy and filling!
Lorel says
My favorite comforting soup is a hearty vegetable soup with lentils and leafy greens. Healthy and filling!
Jennifer says
I love good ol’ chicken soup!
Amber Walden says
This looks very yummy!! I love soup season!!
Melody says
Very elegant!
Grace Pickard says
I my favorite soup is she crab soup. I haven’t found any recipes to make it low carb though.
Crystal S says
Homemade chicken noodle soup with lots of veggies.
Kathy Larsen says
My favorite comforting soup would have to be low carb gumbo! Good luck, everyone!
Linda Quigley says
I love spicy soup like chicken tortilla or a really good Posole either chicken or pork. But my favorite is Cippino
Chloe says
One of my favorite soups is a chicken/wild rice that uses blended cauliflower to make it creamy without creating a heavy calorie load. Creamy, rich soups are the best, and I can’t wait to try this one!
Jan says
My favorite comforting soup of the pre-low carb days was potato soup. Now I enjoy lemon chicken with cauliflower rice pretty often.
Jennifer Willard says
I have discovered a new favorite comfort soup. It is the Greek Avgolemeno Soup (Chicken Soup with Egg Lemon Sauce). Chicken Soup always sounded good, but I was in heaven when I added the lemon. Love lemon anything! Sometimes, instead of the chicken, I will substitute shrimp. I am getting hungry now.
BTW, would love that new soup pot for my kitchen! Just sayin’.
Kate says
My absolute favorite soup is Moosewood’s Hungarian Mushroom Soup. It’s absolutely fantastic.
Thanks, as always !
Kim says
My son LOVES Italian Wedding soup and I have never made it for him. He is going to go through the roof when I make this. I can’t wait!
Betsy r says
I love this soup, can’t wait to try this recipe
Susan Reed says
Beef Barley is my favourite cold weather soup…I sub the barley for cauliflower these days though!
Tierney says
My favorite soup is wild rice (creamy)–a Minnesota tradition!
Kayley says
I love ol’ reliable Chicken Noodle.
Angie says
Taco soup!
Meghan says
This might sound kind of weird, but I just absolutely love carrot soup! It is, by far, my favorite soup to make!
Mandi Kessler says
Does chili count?
Carolyn says
Of course!
Cherokee says
I love a creamy tomato bisque. I was thrilled to see the Italian wedding soup recipe since I rarely see recipes for low carb soups.There is a wintry mix in our forecast, and I think Italian wedding soup would be the perfect meal for it.
Lynn P says
This looks delicious. It is ten degrees today so soup looks amazing. Stunning pot too.
Katie says
I have such a hard time imagining the cold weather you’re experiencing! We’re still hovering around 80 degrees down here in Florida…and I am OVER it! I love when the weather is brisk/wintery so I can enjoy a soup like this (although perhaps with some eggplant “meatballs” in place of the meat for me)! Hoping a cold front hits us soon so I can get on top of my winter cooking! My absolute favorite to make/have is a bowl of homemade mushroom soup!
Carolyn says
Going to be down there after Christmas, as it turns out. Visiting my dad, probably our last chance to see him since he’s so very ill. Won’t have time to visit with you but I will wave in your direction!
Julia Jenner says
It’s finally cold here and I love soup. Definitely will make this weekend.
Michelle G says
I do love an unstuffed green pepper soup, made now with cauli rice instead of regular, of course. Can’t wait to make this Italian wedding soup!
Lori says
While the simple tomato basil soup will always reign supreme in my heart, this soup looks quite scrumptious!
Pan says
My favorite comfort soup is homemade egg drop soup. I make it when I’m sick because it’s ridiculously easy and takes under 5 minutes.
Carole Hill says
Thanks, Carolyn….We eat soup a lot,actually all year ’round, it’s soooo good and good for you. Will try this next time around. Lovely soup pot to fix it in.
Jennifer says
My comfort soup is vegetable but I love wedding soup. Snow is expected to arrive tomorrow…
and keep coming for a few days here! Perfect time to try this recipe 🙂
Julie D. says
I came up with a new soup using chicken, three different cheeses, plus cream cheese and canned coconut milk, and chicken stock. So yummy and easy on a cold day!
Rebecca J Hoffman says
That soup looks so good! I really want to try variations on those meatballs.
Tabby says
My favorite soup is French Onion Soup. Mmmmmm
Kristin says
Your stuff is awesome Carolyn!
Cass says
This soup looks wonderful. Thank you for all the amazing reipes you share! But l have to confess that my favorite soup is a simple broth. I know… dull. But l am going to try this soup, later this week. Thanks!
Liza says
Be so neat to win! Can’t wait to try the receipt!
Holly says
My fave comfort soup is tomato , but it has to come with a side of grilled cheese 🙂
Kimberly L says
Our family loves Chicken Gnocci Soup. Yum!
Stephanie C. says
I’ve never had wedding soup but this looks yummy!
Terri Geroux says
My favorite comforting soup is the low carb version of zuppa toscana!
Tina W says
I love a good Albondigas soup.
Becky says
Your chile relleno soup is now one of my favorite soup recipes!
Billie Vanderburg says
I would love this soup pot. I think I will try this recipe tomorrow, it looks delicious!
Annette says
I love soup and my favorite is Tuscan Vegetable Soup. I top it with parmesan and diced avocado. So delicious.
BarbaraMae says
My favorite comfort soups are top ramen or potatoe cheese. Most people may think ramen is a strange choice but it’s what my dad made when I was sick as a kid- he want much of a cook – and it brings back fond memories.
Rita Darlene Brown says
My favorite comforting soup is my Norwegian grandmother’s recipe for cream of zuchinni!
Clarice Boyd says
I learned how to make Matzo Ball Soup from a Jewish friend 4o years ago and still make it by her recipe today. I find it so comforting.
Stacey says
I wish I could get my husband to eat meatballs, or spinach. This looks yummmmm. My go to soup lately has been creamy broccoli or broccoli cheese.
Laura Ford says
Now I need to make Italian meatball soup. It’s been too long! My favorites lately are lemon lentil and minestrone.
Kristin says
Good ol chicken noodle is always a favorite in our house. Lovely cookware!
Randg says
Chicken and dumplings (which is on the menu again with mozzarella pasta) -and a generous sprinkling of Pecorino Romano has always been a go-to for comfort, especially when I’m feeling under the weather. The pot looks beautiful!
Amanda says
This soup sounds wonderful! A big soup pot would be marvelous!
Kat says
Yum, I love Italian Wedding soup. The soup pot looks wonderful.
Rust says
My favorite is very simple chicken and noodle, from rich homemade stock. Delicious!
joanna schupp says
I love bone broth soups with some scrambled eggs, cubed fish, fish sauce, ginger, and turmeric. So nourishing and warm during the winter!
Mary S says
This looks amazing!
Emily S says
I love Chicken and Dumplings!
paul schaefer says
this is my favorite soup.
Betty says
Excellent soup! Do you think it would be fine to freeze ??
Carolyn says
I think so.
Kelly M. says
I love a good, rich chicken broth!
Marsha says
Split pea soup
Andrea says
I made this soup this past weekend. It is delicious! Thank you so much for an excellent recipe! I also tried your gingerbread pancakes this weekend. They are great, too!
Kathy says
This soup was wonderful, of course! All your recipes work out so well for me. My family loved it, and the generous portion of meatballs even allowed for leftovers with a little extra broth added.This one will be a “regular” in our home.
Denise says
This soup is delicious! The meatballs were light and fluffy with the cheese and ground pork rinds. Perfect for surviving the polar vortex!
Karen says
This is SO good. My non-paleo/primal/low carb hubs loved it. He helped with the meatballs … kept saying he didn’t feel it was going to be good because of the almond flour. Uh huh. Nonetheless. He’s a good sport. He tried the soup and had seconds. This soup is perfect. Thanks for hitting another one outta the park.
Carolyn says
Yay, glad we won him over!
Cheryl says
Carolyn,
This was amazing! I used ground pork and pork rinds for the meatballs. Sooo gooood!!!! Thanks so much for all you do for us!
Leanne says
This was delicious. My Italian grandmother prepared Wedding Soup for us every Christmas Eve until she passed away a few years ago. This was very similar to hers…I think the celery is the key. Will make every year from now on! I did make one minor switch…I used Miracle Rice instead of the cauliflower, but I am sure it is equally delicious either way. Leftovers were even better the next day! Hope you have a blessed holiday and new year!
Mary says
Made this soup last night and loved it! Next time I’ll add more cauliflower and spinach because I like a more stew-ish consistency.
Donna Voets says
This is the first recipe of yours that I have made…..came across it accidentally, and I was so excited when I found it because even though its Texas temp was 38 this morning, and just called for soup…..and I so love when I have all the ingredients on hand…it came out so tasty…..made as written except through in a parm rind in …hubby and I have been doing keto for 4 months now….I love cooking I just struggle with technology and no matter what app I have tried to use to figure out a nutritional chart for what I cook I just cant figure out how to do….so I am so happy I found you and after this flavorful first recipe and all the nutritional info at my finger tips ….I went straight to Amazon and ordered your book…I am so excited about this…I have a cookbook addiction…unfortunately most are unusable with this. WOE so I am happy to find you…
Carolyn says
Thanks, Donna! And while most of the recipes in my book are new…this one happens to be in there too!
Barbara Moy says
Rich, delicious, filling AND low carb. It can’t get much better than that. Thank you for the great recipe. This is now on our list for favorite soups. The addition of cauliflower rice instead of the traditional acini di pepe worked brilliantly. I used chard instead of spinach and 8 cups of homemade broth. We are looking forward to leftovers.
Lola says
Hi Carolyn, as someone who is not a fan of Parmesan cheese at all, what can I replace it with in your recipe? I really want to make this soup!
Carolyn says
Replace it with whatever cheese you like best!
Lola says
Thank you!!