Italian Meatball Soup - The Recipe Rebel [VIDEO] (2024)

This hearty Italian Meatball Soup is the ultimate comfort food! With tender homemade, meatballs, vegetables and pasta in a delicious tomato-based broth with Parmesan cheese, it’s a delight for your taste buds!

This ItalianMeatball Soup recipe combines the savory goodness of homemade Italian-style meatballs with a flavorful broth and a variety of vegetables.

Soup can be a hard sell to my kids, but a soup that’s loaded with meatballs and pasta is always a win around here!

It’s a nutritious and balanced meal in one pot, perfect for busy weeknights for the whole family.

Whether it’s a cold winter evening or a breezy summer night, this soup is a versatile dish that fits all seasons and occasions.

The combination of beef and pork in these homemademeatballs gives them a depth of flavor and the addition of Parmesan cheese adds a hit of saltiness.

This easy soup recipe is easy to adapt, whether you prefer using leaner meat or want to add a spicy kick to it!

With ingredients like Italian seasoning, marinara sauce, and Parmesan cheese, this soup will bring the flavors of an Italian kitchen to your dining table.

It’s like a little Italian holiday, but without leaving the comfort of your home!

For more hearty soup inspiration, check out myItalian Sausage Gnocchi Soup,Italian Wedding Soup, thisChicken Rice Soup, and myTomato Tortellini Soup.

Below you’ll find all the tips and tricks you need to make the best meatball soup!

Ingredients Needed:

Homemade Meatballs

• Bread:use a slice of soft bread to make fluffy bread crumbs to give the groundmeat mixturemore substance when making it into meatballs.
• Meat:I’ve used a combination of lean, ground beef and lean, ground pork for these meatballs.
• Cheese:freshly shreddedparmesan cheeseis best to add a great salty, umami flavor.
• Egg:helps to bind themeatball ingredients.
• Seasoning:useItalian seasoningwith salt andblack pepperto bring classic Italian flavors to this dish.

Meatball Soup

• Vegetables:use a classic trio of onion, carrot, and celery to make a great savory base for the soup that’s also packed with essential nutrients.
• Tomatoes:use diced (or crushed) tomatoes as well astomato pastefor a tomato base in this soup that works well with the meatballs.
• Seasoning:fresh garlic cloves,Italian seasoning, salt,red pepper flakes, and a bay leaf will pack a ton of classic Italian flavor into this soup, with a bit of a kick too!
• Broth:I use low-sodiumchicken brothto add a great depth of savory flavor, and also to better control the saltiness of the dish.
• Cheese:use a parmesan rind if you can, as it melts wonderfully into the soup, giving it a deep, rich, umami, cheesy flavor. Simply pull it out before serving.
• Pasta:I’ve used uncooked ditalini pasta here as I think it works well with the meatballs. You can use any small pasta that you have!
• Spinach:fresh spinach leaves add color, a fresh flavor, and nutrients to this soup. You can also swap with fresh kale if you have it on hand.
• Marinara Sauce:use your favorite brand of marinara sauce to add even more tomato flavor to the soup.

How to MakeItalian Meatball Soup

This recipe takes a bit of time but is worth it all! Full instructions are included in therecipe cardbelow.

Meatballs

1. Make meatball mixture: Combine the bread crumbs, beef, pork, cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, then let the mixture sit.
2. Make meatballs and sear: Make meatballs, then brown them on both sides. Remove them from the pot and set them aside.

Meatball Soup

1. Sauté veggies: Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery.
2. Add other ingredients: Add the tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf, and cook.

3. Deglaze and add broth, tomatoes, and cheese: Stir the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and Parmesan rind, then deglaze the pot and cook.
4. Add pasta and meatballs: Stir in the pasta and meatballs, then cover and cook. Stir in spinach and marinara sauce before serving.

Italian Meatball Soup FAQs

Tips and Notes

• Don’t overmix the meatballs. Achieving tender and juicy meatballs is the first step to a successful meatball soup. When combining the meat mixture, avoid overmixing as it can result in dense meatballs. A gentle stir is all you need to bring the ingredients together.
• Let the flavors meld.Letting the meatball mixture sit for 10-20 minutes before rolling it out into balls allows the flavors to meld, resulting in more flavorful meatballs.
• Adjusting the consistency.You might want your soup to be thicker or thinner. If the soup is too thick, adding a bit more broth can easily make it thinner. If you want it thicker, remove some of the soup, blend it with an immersion blender, and add it back in. Alternatively, use a cornstarch slurry to thicken it.
• Freshen the soup when reheating it. Add a splash of lemon juice, broth or a handful of fresh parsley to rejuvenate the flavors and bring back the vibrancy of this delicious meatball soup when reheating it.

Italian Meatball Soup Variations

• Add some garnishes. Add an extra sprinkle of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese on top of the soup before serving can elevate the dish with a creamy texture and a salty kick. You can also sprinkle some fresh herbs like parsley or basil on top to add a burst of freshness and color to the dish.
• Use a different broth. Chicken, beef, or vegetable broth can be used interchangeably, depending on your preference or dietary restrictions.
• Add more veggies.This recipe is so versatile; you can add almost any of your favorite vegetables to enhance the nutritional value and flavor. Try mushrooms, zucchini, chopped bell peppers, sweetcorn, peas, or whatever seasonal vegetables you have a surplus of!
• Use other kinds of pasta. Small pastas like orzo or mini shells are excellent substitutes for ditalini, while brown rice or quinoa are great gluten-free options.
• Add extra flavor. Add a splash of lemon juice, a dollop of sour cream, some Worcestershire sauce, or additional herbs to add an extra layer of flavor to this already delicious soup.

Serving Suggestions

We always have bread on our dinner table, but it’s a perfect side to any soup. Try myHomemade Breadsticks, a slice of myNo Knead Artisan Bread, some classicGarlic Bread, or theseCheddar Bay Biscuitsfor dipping!

More Easy Meatball Recipes To Try