Italian Meatball Soup (2024)

This Italian meatball soup is tender beef meatballs, vegetables and pasta, all simmered in a rich tomato broth. An easy dinner option that’s perfect for a busy weeknight!

My family happens to love meatballs, especially the kids. I make sure to put meatballs on our dinner menu on a regular basis. I often do meatball bake or Greek meatballs with rice, but sometimes I like to mix things up a bit and serve this hearty meatball soup recipe.

Soup is always a great option when it’s cold outside, and I find myself making this meatball soup constantly during the winter months. It has similar flavors to the classic spaghetti and meatballs, but in soup form. Best of all, my kids adore it and happily eat the veggies in this soup!

Meatball Soup Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need ground beef, garlic, Italian seasoning, parsley, egg, parmesan cheese, Italian breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth and pasta.

How Do You Make Meatball Soup?

Preheat the broiler and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place all the meatball ingredients in a bowl, and stir to combine. Roll the meat mixture into small balls, then place them on the baking sheet. Broil until the meatballs are golden brown. Heat the olive oil in a large pot, then add the onions, carrots and celery. Cook until the veggies are tender. Next, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer. Stir in the meatballs and the pasta, and cook until the pasta is done. Add some fresh parsley on top, then serve and enjoy.

Tips For The Perfect Soup

• I use 90% lean ground beef. It has plenty of flavor but is not overly greasy.
• You can use any short pasta you like for this soup. I use ditalini, but other great choices are macaroni, rotini or orzo pasta.
• This soup makes great leftovers, but just be aware that the pasta will continue to soak up the broth as it sits in the fridge. You may need to add more broth when you go to reheat your soup.
• Meatball soup is hearty enough to stand alone as a complete meal, or you can serve it with a side of garlic knots.

Meatball Soup Variations

There are so many different ways to customize meatball soup – you can use different types of meat, add more vegetables or change up the seasonings.

• Sausage & Mushroom: Use 50% Italian sausage, 50% ground beef in the meatballs, and add 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms when you stir in the pasta.
• Turkey & Spinach: Use ground turkey instead of beef, and swap out the beef broth for chicken broth. Add 2 cups of baby spinach leaves to the soup during the last few minutes of the cook time.
• Veggie Lovers: Add 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables during the last 5 minutes of the cook time.

I serve this meatball soup with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and fresh parsley for the perfect finish. Your family is sure to enjoy this soup as much as my family does!