Vegan Italian Wedding Soup is a fresh, plant-based take on a classic! This weeknight-friendly dinner recipe is packed with protein. And with crisp meatballs, tender pasta, colorful veggies, and healthy beans—this soup is nutritious and satisfying.
Tired of messy stovetop meatballs? Baking them in the oven is a game-changer! The meatballs get crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, without the fuss. And it's faster too. This method lets you multitask, so you can have the soup simmering while the meatballs bake. Whether you’re vegan or just looking for a meatless option, this delicious and meal-worthy soup is a must-make.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Done in 35 minutes: This vegan Italian Wedding soup recipe is quicker than most. Rather than cooking the meatballs on the stove, this recipe uses the oven for hands-off cooking. This way, you can finish the rest of the soup while the meatballs bake.
- Meal worthy: This soup is filling enough to be enjoyed as a main dish. For an even heartier meal, serve with warm bread.
- Perfect vegan meatballs: These plant-based meatballs don't taste like a compromise! Simple spices spruce up store-bought vegan sausage meat. But the key is the "panade"—made from panko and milk—which makes the meatballs extra tender.
- High protein: Packed with 26g of protein per serving! And a great source of fiber too.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
This hearty Vegan Italian Wedding Soup is made with simple ingredients you can find at almost any grocery store. Here's what you'll need:
- Plant Based Sausage: Crumbled vegan sausage makes the base for the mini meatballs. For this dish, I like to use Beyond Meat Mild Italian. But anything similar would work. I'd avoid "breakfast links", which tend to be slightly sweet.
- Cannellini Beans: While beans aren't a traditional ingredient for Italian Wedding soup, I like to add them for extra protein. The creamy white beans compliment these flavors. You can swap other white beans instead. If you don't like beans, just leave them out.
- Vegetable Broth: I recommend a vegan "chicken" broth—like Better Than Bouillon No Chicken—if you can find it. It also makes the best Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup. Otherwise, swap another delicious tasting vegetable broth.
- Milk: This makes the vegan meatballs soft and moist. Use any plain, unsweetened plant-based milk (soy, oat, or cashew). If not vegan, regular milk works too.
- Pasta: Use ditalini, orzo, or Acini de pepe if you can. Otherwise, substitute another small noodle like elbows or shells.
- Parmesan (optional): This is just for garnish, so it's completely optional! Choose a shredded vegan parmesan that melts—rather than a homemade "nut parm".
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Want more vegan bean soup recipes? Check out Instant Pot Bean Soup, Roasted Lemon and Veggie Bean Soup, and Easy Green Chili Soup.
How to make Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
This delicious, high-protein Vegan Italian Wedding Soup takes just 35 minutes to make. Here are the key steps to making this recipe:
1. Mix together the ingredients for the vegan meatballs.
2. Roll into mini meatballs and scatter on a well-oiled baking sheet.
3. Bake until the meatballs are deeply browned, shaking the pan halfway through.
4. Meanwhile, saute the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in olive oil.
5. Add broth, then once boiling, add pasta. In the last 5 minutes, add the beans.
6. Stir in spinach. Divide meatballs into bowls, then top with soup and Parmesan.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Tips
- Use a bare baking sheet: As much as I love parchment paper when baking, I don't recommend it for this recipe. The meatballs get more brown and crispy on the outside if they're baked directly on the baking sheet.
- Don't skimp on the olive oil: You want the baking sheet to be well oiled, so use the full 2 tablespoons that the recipe calls for. This ensures the meatballs won't stick—and helps facilitate browning.
- Use a flavorful broth: Vegetable broths really vary. Remember that a great tasting broth makes a big difference! I love Better Than Bouillon. It's a flavorful concentrate that you add water to—so it's compact and easy to adjust.
- Store meatballs separately: Meatballs soften the longer they sit in soup. That's why I like to add the meatballs directly to the individual serving bowls—then ladle the hot soup over top just before serving. This also makes it easier to keep the meatballs separate for leftovers.
- If making in advance: Pasta swells up as it sits in soup. If you plan to make this soup in advance, cook the noodles separately and toss with a bit of oil before storing in the fridge. Then combine the noodles with the hot soup just before serving. I shared this tip in my cookbook—and it works for other noodle soups, like Minestrone and Vegan Golden Chickpea Noodle Soup.
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Recipe FAQ's
Acini di pepe is the most common. But Ditalini and Orzo are also frequently used—and often easier to find. You could also substitute another small pasta shape like shells or elbows.
I use Beyond Meat Mild Italian. But, any similar uncooked plant-based formed sausages or sausage ground will work. I don't recommend breakfast sausages, since those are often sweetened or flavored with maple. Stick to savory flavors.
I find that food roasted on bare baking sheets get browner, faster. Epicurious tested and confirmed the same results. While parchment (or foil) is convenient for cleaning, the meatballs don't brown as well. This recipe uses enough olive oil that you don't need to worry about sticking! So, don't line your baking sheet for this recipe.
If you don't plan to eat all the soup at once, then store the meatballs separately. Like all noodle soups, the pasta will absorb some of the soup broth as it sits. (If you don't want this to happen, cook and store the noodles separately too). Refrigerate and enjoy in 2 to 3 days.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients
Vegan Meatballs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk (plain, unsweetened)
- 14 oz plant-based sausage (see note 1)
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 diced yellow onion (1½ cups)
- 4 chopped carrots (1½ cups)
- 4 ribs chopped celery (1½ cups)
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 cups vegan chicken broth (or vegetable broth, see note 2)
- ¾ cup dried ditalini pasta (or Acini di pepe, orzo)
- 2 (14 fl oz/398 ml) cans cannellini beans (drained and rinsed, see note 3)
- 4 cups chopped spinach (see note 4)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- shredded vegan parmesan (for serving, optional, see note 5)
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃). Drizzle 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil onto a bare baking sheet (see note 5).
- Meatballs: In a medium bowl, mix together ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs and ¼ cup non-dairy milk. Let sit for 2 minutes to soften. Crumble in 14 oz plant-based sausage. Add 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley, 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt. Mix very well, then roll into mini meatballs—about 1 teaspoon per ball. (You'll get 50 to 60 meatballs). Scatter meatballs on the well-oiled baking sheet. Gently shake the sheet until the meatballs are fully coated in oil. Bake until brown, about 20 minutes, shaking the pan half-way through.
- Start Soup: Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion and saute until golden, about 4 minutes. Add 4 chopped carrots and 4 ribs chopped celery. Saute until the veggies start to soften, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt and saute until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Finish Soup: Add 8 cups vegan chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add ¾ cup dried ditalini pasta. Cook until pasta is tender (refer to package, about 10 minutes for ditalini)—adding 2 (14 fl oz/398 ml) cans cannellini beans 5 minutes before the pasta's done. Remove from heat. Stir in 4 cups chopped spinach, just until wilted. Season with freshly ground black pepper (to taste) and more salt if needed.
- Serve: Divide the meatballs into bowls, then ladle over the soup. Garnish with shredded vegan parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Plant-based Sausage: I usually use Beyond Meat Mild Italian for this recipe. But you can substitute other similar uncooked sausages or sausage ground. Avoid using "breakfast links" if they're sweetened or flavored with maple. This recipe is best suited to savory, Italian-flavored sausage "meat".
- Broth: A great-tasting vegan "chicken" broth—like Better than Bouillon No Chicken—works best. Otherwise use another great tasting vegan vegetable broth.
- Beans: You can substitute other white beans instead, such as Great Northern, Navy beans, etc. If using home-cooked beans, use 3 cups cooked. If you don't like beans, leave them out.
- Spinach: You can use fresh chopped baby spinach or regular spinach.
- Vegan Parmesan: This is optional, since it's just for garnish. If using, I recommend a shredded vegan parm that melts (rather than a homemade "nut parm").
- Gluten Free option: Use gluten-free pasta.
- Storage Tips: The meatballs soften as they sit in the soup, so I recommend adding them just before serving. As with most noodle soups, the pasta will soak up some of the soup as it sits. If you want to prevent this, you can: cook noodles separately, toss them in a bit of oil, refrigerate them until needed, then add to hot soup just before serving.
Yummy says
This soup was delicious! It's one of those soups that would be great to serve guests because it's colorful, savory, and a bowlful is totally satisfying. I'll definitely make it again!
Bri Beaudoin says
Hi there! I'm happy to hear you enjoyed this vegan Italian Wedding Soup recipe! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a review. Have a great rest of your week!
Brenna says
This soup was so good it brought back childhood memories and I really can't wait for the leftovers
Bri Beaudoin says
So happy to hear that Brenna! Thanks so much for sharing