Meatball Soup

By Krista Teigen

Updated Oct 3, 2025

Meatball soup in two bowls with the text meatball soup easy dinner recipe. - 1

I find this delicious and hearty Meatball Soup the perfect comfort food to make on cold-weather days, or anytime I need to get an easy weeknight dinner on the table. This Italian soup, reminiscent of minestrone, is a medley of tasty Mediterranean ingredients that fills my kitchen with irresistible aromas that are sure to make my family ask, “When’s dinner ready?”

Overhead view of a serving of meatball soup in a white bowl with a spoon and a piece of bread. - 4

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Easy Meatball Soup Recipe

This hearty and satisfying meatball soup features tender, juicy meatballs in a rich tomato-based broth loaded with veggies and pasta. Though cheese is optional, I can’t resist adding a heaping handful to my bowl. I can never resist anything topped with rich, gooey cheese—it is definitely one of my weaknesses.

Though I usually prepare the meatballs in this soup with beef, if I don’t have any on hand, I’ll use ground chicken or turkey. Sometimes, when I’m short on time, I’ll even use store-bought fresh or frozen pre-cooked meatballs and add them to the soup to warm back up. The soup still tastes great, and no one is the wiser. As far as veggies go, if I’ve got stuff lingering in the fridge like mushrooms or bell peppers, I’ll throw them in too. You can never have too many veggies, in my opinion.

I am a true meatball fan and make them often during the cold winter months, so both this cheesy parmesan meatball soup and our creamy Swedish meatball soup are on my meal prep list on a regular basis.

Ingredients1x2x3x

For the Meatballs

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

For the Soup

▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
▢ ½ onion chopped
▢ 2 carrots chopped
▢ 2 ribs celery chopped
▢ ½ tsp kosher salt
▢ 1 tsp Italian seasoning store-bought or homemade
▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
▢ 3 tbsp tomato paste
▢ 28 oz. crushed tomatoes (1 large can)
▢ 6 cups low-sodium beef broth chicken broth and vegetable broth also work
▢ 1⅓ cups dry ditalini pasta any short shape works
▢ 3 cups fresh spinach

Toppings (optional)

▢ chopped fresh parsley
▢ freshly grated Parmesan cheese
▢ red pepper flakes

Video

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. 1 lb. lean ground beef, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp 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 tbsp 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 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Add in the garlic and tomato paste, and cook for another minute. 3 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp tomato paste
Add in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, pasta, and meatballs. 28 oz. 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

Equipment

Baking Sheet
Dutch Oven

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Meatball Soup Step by Step

Make the meatballs : Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine 1 lb. lean ground beef, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, and ½ tsp Italian seasoning in a large bowl.

Form the meat mixture into 26-30 balls and place on a lined baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes.

Sauteeing veggies and seasonings in a Dutch oven. - 6

Make the soup : When the meatballs have about 10 minutes left to cook, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.

Stir in ½ onion, 2 carrots, 2 ribs of celery, ½ tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and cook until softened.

Add in the 3 cloves of garlic and 3 tbsp of tomato paste, and cook for another minute.

Adding crushed tomatoes to the pot of veggies. - 7

Add in the can of crushed tomatoes, 6 cups of beef broth, 1⅓ cups pasta, and the meatballs.

Bring the pot to a boil, then, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until the pasta is al dente.

Stir in 3 cups of spinach until it wilts.

Overhead view of 2 servings of meatball soup with pasta in white bowls, one has a spoon. - 9

Serve : Top with parsley, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes if desired, and enjoy.

How to Store

If you want to get a head start, bake these meatballs a day before you plan to add them to the soup. Store them in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through. I recommend cooking and storing the ditalini separately if you plan to have leftovers to keep it from becoming mushy.

Freeze this soup by batch, or in individual portions, in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. If freezing, I also highly recommend leaving out the pasta until the soup has been reheated.

Partial overhead view of Italian meatball soup cooking in a Dutch oven with a wooden spoon. - 10

Serving Suggestions

This Italian soup is a hearty and satisfying dish that only needs some crusty bread or breadsticks to make it complete (and maybe a glass of red wine for the chef!). You can also serve this along our Olive Garden salad .

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overhead view of a serving of meatball soup in a white bowl with a spoon and a piece of bread. - 19

Meatball Soup Recipe

Equipment

Baking Sheet
Dutch Oven