Italian Meatball Soup Recipe

My 30-minute Italian Meatball Soup is the weeknight dinner of dreams! Hearty, filling, and so cozy, and the leftovers are even better!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Italian meatball soup, meatball soup, meatball soup recipe, recipe for meatball soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 23

Total Time 33

Servings servings

Calories 529kcal

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (this is important!) and set aside.
In a large bowl, add all meatball ingredients except the olive oil. Mix with a spatula or with clean hands until completely combined, no more than 40 seconds; you don't want the mixture to get too mixed or it will turn out tough.
1 pound ground beef, ⅓ cup grated parmesan, ⅓ cup breadcrumbs, 1 egg, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Using a Tablespoon measure, spoon, or ice cream soup, create small meatball portions from the meat mixture, and roll them with your hands. As these meatballs are for soup, you'll want to make them nice and small.
Using a pastry brush or your fingers, brush the meatballs with olive oil.
Place the baking sheet in the oven, and broil or bake for 8-12 minutes, until well browned.

As the meatballs are cooking, add the olive oil to a large pot. Once warm, add the grated carrots, garlic, and diced onion.
1 cup white onion, 2 carrots, 2 garlic cloves, 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
Pour the beef broth or stock, can of crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes.
4 cups beef broth, 20 ounce crushed tomatoes, 1 cup vegetable stock or chicken stock, 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Bring the pot to a simmer. Don't let it boil; the stock can overcook and turn bitter! Add the cooked meatballs, pasta, and red bell peppers.
1½ cup ditalini pasta, ½ cup red bell peppers
Simmer for 10 additional minutes, uncovered, or until the pasta is al dente. You don't need to cook it any longer than that, as the pasta will finish softening in the broth.
Top with herbs and cheese if desired, and serve!
2 Tablespoons parsley, 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, Salt, pepper

Cooling: To cool the soup, fill the sink with cold water and place the pot in the sink. This allows the soup to cool quickly and safely, and not sit out for too long.

Refrigerator: Transfer the soup to airtight containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. If it's still warm, place it far away from perishable items like milk.

Freezer: Cool the soup using an ice bath, then transfer to multiple freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. I prefer to portion it out into serving sized containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Thawing: Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight. For best results, thaw, and don't heat from frozen.

Reheating: This soup does best reheating on the stove over medium heat, stirred occasionally. You can also reheat it in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Stir often.