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fork putting up cheesy meatball soup from bowl
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4.64 from 38 votes

Cheesy Parmesan Meatball Soup Recipe

Hearty and comforting, this Parmesan Meatball Soup features juicy meatballs in a flavorful tomato broth, topped with melted cheese and basil.
Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Author: Becky Hardin | The Cookie Rookie

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

  • 1 lb. ground chuck 22-1½" meatballs
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • ½ cup regular breadcrumbs
  • ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp Italian seasoning

For the Soup:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter unsalted
  • 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 cups unsalted chicken broth
  • 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar dissolved in 1½ cups hot water
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tsp fresh oregano chopped (or ½ tsp dried)
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 8 oz. uncooked small shell pasta or your favorite small pasta
  • ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 baguette sliced and toasted
  • 4 cups shredded Italian cheese blend or shredded mozzarella

Instructions

For the Meatballs:

  • Combine all meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl and gently mix together until ingredients are well combined. Shape into 1½" balls and set aside.
    1 lb. ground chuck, 1 egg, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, ½ cup regular breadcrumbs, ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp Italian seasoning

For the Soup:

  • In a Dutch oven or a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, heat olive oil and butter. Sauté the diced onion until it is translucent and soft. Add the minced garlic to the onion and cook 30 seconds more.
    2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp butter, 1 medium sweet yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves
  • Add chicken broth, meatballs (we add them into the soup raw, without browning them. If you prefer to brown them, you can, but it's not necessary. Allowing them to cook into the soup adds some nice flavor!), crushed tomatoes, sugar water, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, bay leaves, oregano and red pepper flakes. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 30 minutes.
    4 cups unsalted chicken broth, 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, 1 tbsp granulated sugar dissolved in 1½ cups hot water, 2 tbsp fresh basil, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, 2 bay leaves, 2 tsp fresh oregano, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • Add the dried pasta. Simmer, and stir occasionally, until the pasta is cooked to al dente (still a little firm) 10 minutes.
    8 oz. uncooked small shell pasta
  • Remove bay leaves.
  • Add ⅓ cup of the grated Parmesan cheese and stir. Cook over low heat until the cheese has melted and the soup has thickened.
    ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese

To Serve:

  • Preheat oven to broil.
  • Place bowls, evenly spaced, on a rimmed baking sheet. Ladle soup into oven-proof bowls, and top with ¼ cup shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and melted. Watch closely!
  • Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh basil and serve. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 803kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1399mg | Potassium: 928mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1095IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 600mg | Iron: 5.2mg