Oven-Baked 4-Ingredient Wedding Soup Pasta
All the cozy flavors of Italian wedding soup in a creamy, no-boil pasta bake. Just frozen meatballs, tiny pasta, cream of chicken soup, and milk—plus water and a little pepper. A family-friendly dump dinner that’s ready in an hour with almost no effort.
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
55–60 minutes
Rest Time:
5 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 15 minutes
Servings:
4–6
Ingredients
- 1 bag (14–16 oz) frozen fully cooked mini meatballs (Italian-style or homestyle)
- 1½ cups uncooked small pasta (acini di pepe, orzo, ditalini, or stelline)
- 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- 1½ cups warm water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional for serving: grated Parmesan cheese, fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat and grease. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add pasta and meatballs. Place the uncooked pasta and frozen meatballs into the baking dish, distributing evenly.
- Mix the liquid. In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the condensed cream of chicken soup, milk, warm water, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper until smooth.
- Pour and submerge. Pour the liquid over the pasta and meatballs. Press everything down gently so the pasta is mostly submerged.
- Bake covered. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Stir and finish. Remove foil, stir gently to break up any clumps, and return to the oven uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the pasta is tender and the sauce is creamy and thickened.
- Rest and serve. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley if desired, and serve hot.
Notes
- For a more authentic wedding soup touch, stir in 2 cups fresh spinach or 1 cup thawed frozen spinach after the covered bake.
- If the sauce seems too thick when you remove the foil, add a splash of warm water before the final uncovered bake.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat with a little milk or water to loosen.
This Oven-Baked 4-Ingredient Wedding Soup Pasta is the kind of recipe that saves evenings and delights families. It takes the soul of a beloved classic soup and turns it into a hands-off casserole that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. Next time you’re staring down a chaotic weeknight and a bag of frozen meatballs, reach for this dish. In about an hour, you’ll be ladling out bowls of creamy, meatball-studded comfort that proves a few simple ingredients and a hot oven can create something truly special.