Low Sodium Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup

Total time1 hr 5 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time30 min

Low Sodium Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup

Tender pork and beef meatballs, bound with a simple breadcrumb-and-milk paste, egg, and a generous handful of Parmesan, simmer right in the broth alongside diced carrots, celery, and onion for a soup that builds deep flavor in a single pot. The Instant Pot does the heavy lifting here, pressure-cooking the meatballs until they're juicy and cooked through while a Parmesan rind melts into the broth for extra body and savoriness. Once the pressure releases, tiny acini di pepe pasta cooks right in that same broth, soaking up all that flavor, and a big handful of escarole wilts in at the end for a fresh, slightly bitter contrast. Every component — from the hand-rolled meatballs to the tender pasta and greens — comes together in about the time it takes to sauté a few vegetables, making this a genuinely low-effort, high-reward weeknight soup. It's a comforting, ladle-into-a-bowl kind of dish that works beautifully for anyone watching their sodium intake, since you're fully in control of how much seasoning goes in. Finish it with a little more Parmesan if you like, and you've got a satisfying bowl that doesn't skimp on flavor.

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the meatballs

1 lb ground pork
Smithfield All Natural 85% Lean Ground Pork Private Selection Natural Duroc Ground Pork Ground Pork Open Nature Pork Ground Pork 80% Lean 20% Fat - 16 Oz 90% Lean Ground Pork
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½ lb ground beef (80/20)
⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs
¼ cup whole milk
1 large egg
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Chef's tip
Choose a grated-style vegan parmesan and use the same amount.
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
½ tsp kosher salt
Chef's tip
Season to taste - salt substitutes can taste bitter in larger amounts, so start with less.
¼ tsp black pepper

For the soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 parmesan rind (about 2–3 inches) (optional)
Omit this
This ingredient likely doesn’t work for the diet.
¾ cup acini di pepe pasta (uncooked)
4 cups escarole, roughly chopped
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Chef's tip
Season to taste - salt substitutes can taste bitter in larger amounts, so start with less.
¼ tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

For serving

grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Chef's tip
Choose a grated-style vegan parmesan and use the same amount.

Instructions

1
In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk and let stand for 2 minutes until the breadcrumbs absorb the milk and form a paste. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, ground beef, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — do not overwork the mixture.
2
Roll the meat mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter (roughly 1 tablespoon each) and arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. You should have about 36–40 meatballs. Refrigerate while you prepare the soup base.

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