Meatball Soup Recipe

overhead view of a serving of meatball soup in a white bowl with a spoon and a piece of bread.

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Servings: bowls

Calories: 443kcal

Author: Krista Teigen

Meatball Soup is the perfect comforting meal on a cold day. With its combination of Italian-inspired ingredients reminiscent of minestrone soup, get ready to fall in love with hearty and satisfying Italian soup!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

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Equipment

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade

For the Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 ribs celery chopped
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
3 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 large can)
6 cups low-sodium beef broth
1⅓ cups dry ditalini pasta
3 cups fresh spinach

Toppings (optional)

Chopped fresh parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Combine all the meatballs ingredients in a large bowl.
1 pound lean ground beef, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Form into 26-30 balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes.
When the meatballs have about 10 minutes left to cook, heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add in the onion, carrot, celery, salt, and Italian seasoning. Cook for a few minutes until softened.
½ onion, 2 carrots, 2 ribs celery, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Add in the garlic and tomato paste, and cook for another minute.
3 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons tomato paste
Add in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, pasta, and meatballs.
28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 6 cups low-sodium beef broth, 1⅓ cups dry ditalini pasta
Bring everything to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
Stir in the spinach until wilted.
3 cups fresh spinach
Top with parsley, parm, and red pepper flakes if desired.
Chopped fresh parsley, Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Red pepper flakes

Video

Notes

To save time, you can use store-bought fresh or frozen pre-cooked meatballs. Simply add them to the soup to warm back up.
Feel free to add additional veggies, like mushrooms or bell peppers.
You can use chicken or vegetable broth in place of the beef broth, if you prefer.
You can use any short pasta shape in this recipe.

Storage: Store meatball soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I highly recommend storing the ditalini separately to keep it from becoming mushy.

Nutrition