Italian Wedding Soup

Regina Juno

Regina Juno

Community Member
Dec 5, 2014
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It is my understanding that Italian Wedding Soup is not really something that is served at weddings in Italy. Apparently it is just a mistranslation of the name. I'm wondering how Italian it really is and if it is commonly served. There are endless variations on this soup, but the main elements are meatballs and greens. Does anyone have a good recipe for the soup?
 
Do you mean the "minestra maritata"?
I was so confused when looking at the title of your topic.. and I kind of still am because I have never heard of Italian wedding soup until now!

I read about it and "maritata" doesn't literally mean wedding, but it sort of means that the meat and the greens in the soup are united (as in, married...). Strange name for a soup!

I looked for the recipe, but just like you I could only find variations... I'm guessing that the original recipe is buried in good old fashioned Italian cookbooks :D I'll keep looking though, now you made me curious!
 
I think Italian-American wedding soup was born of the fusion of two dishes.

Minestra Maritata: http://memoriediangelina.com/2013/02/03/minestra-maritata-the-original-wedding-soup/
Neapolitan recipe diffused in all southern Italy, maybe derivated from ancient Rome, maybe from spanish Olla Podrida.
Made with leafy greens and various parts of pork ( skins, ribs, sausage )
The marriage meant here is of greens with meat.

Zuppa del fidanzato: http://w3.romascuola.net/mediaplurali4/gusto2.html#r3
This is a tradition restricted to Ciociaria, the southern part of Lazio, so i could'nt find an english translation or images.
Anyway its made of meatballs and vegs, not greens. Served when daughter brings her boyfriend home to know the parents, serving this soup they recognize the engagement.
 
See, the main things in Italian Wedding soup, where I am at least, was always little meat balls, orzo, and greens? (Might be an NJ Italian thing.) I think "Italian Wedding Soup" might have been created in America? Such as, "Chop Suey" was created in California, not China. (Though the cook who made it was in fact Chinese.) I'm betting that some Italian cook combined the two soups Hermann listen and called it "Italian Wedding Soup".
 
Rosie said:
Do you mean the "minestra maritata"?
I was so confused when looking at the title of your topic.. and I kind of still am because I have never heard of Italian wedding soup until now!

I read about it and "maritata" doesn't literally mean wedding, but it sort of means that the meat and the greens in the soup are united (as in, married...). Strange name for a soup!

I looked for the recipe, but just like you I could only find variations... I'm guessing that the original recipe is buried in good old fashioned Italian cookbooks :D I'll keep looking though, now you made me curious!
Click to expand...
I am referring to minestra maritata. I think the name got butchered in translation and Americans just refer to it as Italian Wedding Soup, even though that is not what it literally is.
 
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