Dairy Free Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup

Total time1 hr 5 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time30 min

Dairy Free Instant Pot Italian Wedding Soup

Tender pork and beef meatballs simmer right in the broth, packed with garlic and Italian herbs for a deep, savory bite in every spoonful. The Instant Pot makes quick work of building a rich chicken broth base with sautéed onion, carrot, and celery, so all that vegetable sweetness has time to meld before the meatballs even go in. Acini di pepe adds a satisfying bit of chew, while wilted escarole brings a slightly bitter, silky contrast to the hearty broth. It's classic cold-weather comfort food, streamlined into one pot with minimal cleanup and maximum flavor. This version is a great fit for a dairy free table, delivering all the cozy, slurpable satisfaction of the original without any fuss. Ladle it up hot and it's a meal on its own — no sides required.

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the meatballs

1 lb ground pork
Private Selection Natural Duroc Ground Pork Ground Pork Kroger 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
Chef's tip
Use plain, unsweetened oat milk, measured 1:1. It works well in drinks, batters, sauces, and soups; avoid it where milk sets the texture, like custards, puddings, and frozen desserts.
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
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
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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