Keto Italian Wedding Soup
Published February 14, 2025 • Updated February 2, 2026
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This Italian Wedding Soup features tender, bite-sized meatballs in a savory broth with spinach and orzo pasta made from lupini beans.
I have been making Italian Wedding Soup for years before I was keto. This recipe has tremendous flavor – you just can’t beat it. It’s one of my favorite things to make in bulk and freeze. Now that I found a substitute for traditional orzo and pearl pasta, I can make it low carb! I like to pair it with my famous keto roll recipe since the broth is so good that I have to soak up every bit with some bread.
What makes this recipe keto friendly?
- Pork panko breadcrumbs – Instead of adding traditional breadcrumbs to the meatballs, I use my favorite breadcrumb swap – pork panko. Pork panko is just ground up pork rinds. They work best as a breadcrumb substitute for flavor and purpose. Pork panko has zero carbs and is high in protein too.
- Lower carb veggies – I chose vegetables lower in carbs like spinach and celery. I added in a small amount of onions and carrot for flavor and color. These are higher in carbs compared to other vegetables; however, you can omit or decrease the amount if desired.
- Lupini pasta – I have completely stopped buying shirataki pasta. My new favorite pasta swap is made from lupini beans since the flavor and texture is very similar to traditional noodles. Lupini pasta is high protein and only 1 net carb per serving. For this Italian soup recipe, I use lupini rice. It looks exactly like orzo pasta once cooked in the broth.
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Keto Meatballs Ingredients
1/2 lb ground beef (93/7) -
1/2 lb ground Italian sausage
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1/2 cup pork panko
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1 large egg
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1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Keto Italian Wedding Soup Base Ingredients
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3 tablespoons olive oil
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1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
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1 carrot, sliced
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3 stalks celery, sliced
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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8 cups chicken broth
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1 cup lupini rice
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3 cups baby spinach leaves
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Meatball mixture
Add all ingredients for the meatballs to a large bowl and mix until combined.
- 1/2 lb ground beef (93/7)
- 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup pork panko
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Form small meatballs
Form small meatballs by scooping up 1 heaping teaspoon of the mixture and rolling it in a ball that is about ¾-1-inch in diameter. Repeat with remaining mixture. This should make around 75-80 meatballs.
Cook the meatballs
Pour olive oil into a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat. When oil is hot, fry the meatballs in batches, turning to brown all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining meatballs.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Cook the veggies
To the Dutch oven, add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly tender. Add the garlic, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Make it a soup
Return the meatballs to the pot and add broth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in lupini rice, lower the heat to a simmer and let cook for 6-8 minutes or until rice is tender.
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup lupini rice
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
One of the best soup! Our whole family loved it!!