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3.90 from 37 votes

Low-Carb Keto Italian Wedding Soup

This is a low-carb version, minus beans or rice and using mini meatballs made from a combination of beef and pork. For extra flavor, add parmesan and butter. And finish with a good squeeze of lemon or apple cider vinegar to bring all the flavors’ together, and top with fresh parsley.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 296kcal
Author Jo Harding

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 8 ounces ground beef
  • 8 ounces ground pork
  • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan (optional) (for dairy-free if making 6 servings use 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast)
  • 1 large egg whisked
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • teaspoon red pepper flakes

Soup

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter (or for dairy-free use olive oil)
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • ¾ cup carrot peeled and diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 45 ounces chicken broth
  • 1 parmesan rind (optional)
  • 3.5 ounces kale (or spinach or chard)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)

To Serve

  • ¼ cup grated parmesan
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions

Meatballs

  • Preheat oven to 180 fan /200C or 400F.
  • Add the ground beef and pork, grated parmesan (or nutritional yeast), whisked egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to a mixing bowl. Use clean hands to massage everything together until well combined.
  • Roll into small meatballs and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (Note: For a serving size of 6, make 20 small meatballs).
  • Bake the meatballs for 10 minutes or until fully cooked through, turning once. Option to add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil or ghee to a large dutch oven or non stick frying pan and cook for 1 - 2 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked though.

Soup

  • Add olive oil and butter to a large dutch oven or soup pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Sauté the veggies for 4-5 minutes until softened.
  • Add the bay leaves, chicken broth and parmesan rind if using. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the soup on a med/ low heat for 15 - 20 minutes, adding the meatballs for last 5 minutes to warm though.
  • Remove the parmesan rind (if using) and bay leaves. Add in the kale and stir until wilted.
  • Remove from the heat and stir through the lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Adjust seasoning to taste.

To Serve

  • Serve soup in bowls topped with fresh parmesan and parsley.

Storage

  • Cool, then cover in the fridge for 3 days or freezer for 2months.

Notes

Net Carbs 5g

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1321mg | Potassium: 464mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4556IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 2mg