Meatball Soup is a hearty and satisfying soup that is both easy and delicious! Tender ground beef meatballs, pasta, mixed vegetables and, a beefy, tomato broth are cooked together to create a luscious soup that, as the saying goes, really does eat like a meal!

I love serving this meatball soup recipe with some 30 minute dinner rolls to soak up whatever I can’t get with my spoon. It is the ultimate winter meal!

White bowl of Meatball Soup

Meatball Soup

I love making soup, and winter is the absolute perfect time to try new soup recipes! This meatball soup is fast becoming my family’s meal time favorite as it is truly belly-warming!

Meatballs are so versatile from Grape Jelly Meatballs as an appetizer to Crockpot Meatballs for dinner! And of course, they are found in soups, like this tomato Meatball Soup.

I use homemade meatballs because they taste so much better but of course, you can use frozen meatballs instead if you’re short on time. If you prefer you can of course, use Turkey Meatballs in place of beef.

Ladle in a pot of Meatball Soup

How to Make Meatball Soup

I don’t think I have come across a soup that is as easy as this one! Especially if you use pre-made meatballs (store bought or homemade)!

  1. Saute aromatics in a large soup pot.
  2. Add prepared meatballs (or use prepackaged or homemade meatballs) and broth. Simmer 10 minutes to allow the meatballs to cook and the flavors to blend.
  3. Add veggies and pasta. Cover and cook till pasta is done.

While I make these meatballs a regular 1″ size, you can most certainly make little bitty meatballs too (and make them Italian wedding soup meatball sized). I like to make meatballs in a big batch and freeze them. Frozen meatballs (either homemade or store bought) do not need to be defrosted or pre-cooked for this meatball soup recipe.

Overhead picture of Meatball Soup in a white bowl

How Long do you Cook Meatball Soup?

Total cook time for this easy meatball soup is no more than 25 to 30 minutes! This makes the perfect weeknight meal when time is tight, or even a quickly made lunch.

Meatball soup also freezes like a dream, making it ideal for a quick meal during the busy holidays. I like to freeze it in individual servings (although I skip the pasta when freezing and add it while heating it up).

More Amazing Soups You’ll Love

Overhead picture of Meatball Soup in a white bowl
4.98 from 42 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Meatball Soup

Meatball Soup is a hearty and satisfying soup that is so filling and delicious! Tender ground beef meatballs, pasta, mixed vegetables and a beefy, tomato broth are cooked together to create a luscious soup that, as the saying goes, really does eat like a meal!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients  

  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ½ pounds meatballs frozen or homemade
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 teaspoon italian seasoning crushed
  • cup ditalini or orzo pasta
  • 2 cups frozen vegetables

Instructions 

  • In a large saucepan or pot  saute onion and garlic.
  • Add prepared meatballs and beef broth to pot and cook 10 min.
  • Add tomatoes, seasoning, pasta and frozen veggies. Simmer covered 15 minutes or until pasta is cooked.

Video

4.98 from 42 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 350 | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 935mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2425IU | Vitamin C: 15.8mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2.4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Meatball Soup with a ladle in a bowl and with writing
Meatball Soup in a white bowl with writing

Categories:

, , ,

Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!

Follow us on Pinterest

Recipes you'll love

About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
See more posts by Holly

Follow Holly on social media:

pinterest facebook twitter instagram

Free eBook!

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and get a FREE Bonus e-book: Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals!

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails you receive.

latest & greatest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I will be making this again and sharing the recipe with my family and friends. My husband and I both liked, it is a great one pot meal, very filling meal and it is super easy and fast to make. I used frozen meatballs that I purchased at the butchers and frozen mixed vegetables. The only changes I made was to use elbow macaroni because that was what I had on hand. I tasted the soup just before it was done and add some garlic powder and a splash of pepper flakes.5 stars

  2. I have some beef broth but not enough, I also have chicken broth. I could mix them together and should be fine?

    1. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Karen. It will slightly change the flavor but will still be delicious! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!

  3. I had packaged meatballs, frozen peas and carrots, fresh green beans, and a small box of pasta. This soup came together so fast and is so delicious! This will be on a steady rotation in winter. Makes a large pot of soup!5 stars

  4. Hi Holly,

    I am wondering if I can add instant rice to this recipe?

    Just like the Uncle Ben’s 90 second rice you put in the microwave.

    Thanks Holly!

  5. my parents were both raised during the great depression so i learned from an early age to appreciate good food that was not expensive to make-than you for this site

  6. This soup was delicious and perfect for my son who just got braces put on today! I used frozen meatballs to save time and it turned out so yummy. The kids loved it!5 stars

  7. I made this soup tonight because we are having the usual cold snap at Easter. My husband and I loved it! Will put leftovers in freezer.5 stars

  8. Hey Holly, long time fan, first time commenter. I wanted to make this today but in the crock pot (I have a ninja foodi, which may help with your reply), any recommendations as to how long and what to change? Thanks so much.

    1. Hi Andrew, thank you for following! I haven’t tried this in the slow cooker before but I would suggest about 7-8 hours on low or about 4 hours on high. You’ll want to make sure the meatballs reach 160°F. I have better success when cooking the pasta separately (instead of cooking in the slow cooker) however you can try adding in the pasta in the last 15-20 minutes if you’d like. Let us know how it goes!

  9. Made your meatball soup this chilly afternoon. Smells wonderful. Used the crockpot since we weren’t in a hurry.
    Thanks!

  10. I have found some very wonderful and exciting new recipes on this it’s just that sometimes it takes me of all to find the recipe of the ingredients and stuff but it’s so funny and I love fun cooking and tasting them and seeing the expressions on my friend’s face when I tell them what it is I love them

  11. I’m wondering if I could omit the diced tomatoes and pasta and just have it as a beef broth soup? I’m trying to replicate an Italian meatball soup I used to have at a cafe that was so delicious. I think this will do it, but wanted to ask. If so, should I add more beef broth?

    1. Sure that would work! You can add more broth as needed.

      The starches from the pasta do thicken the broth a little bit so you could add a tiny bit of cornstarch slurry just to give the broth a bit of body.

  12. This recipe is super easy and my family loves it! I only found this last month and we’ve already had it at least three times. Definitely worth a try!4 stars

  13. I added a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste,fresh parsley and basil from the garden ,and dried oregano, lots of fresh ground pepper. Really good and quick using frozen Costco Italian meatballs. Served with fresh grated parmesan cheese. Mmmmm

  14. Hi Holly,
    I saw this recipe and would love to try it out… I was jus wondering if the meatballs need to be cooked (pan fried) or raw?.
    Thanks

    1. Hi! I was wondering if I made this with the turkey meatballs does it still work well with beef broth or should I switch to something like vegetable broth?

  15. HELLO, TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, WANDAMAE HERE, 75YR YOUNG, TRIED TO BE RETIRED BUT HAVING WORKED ALL MY LIFE, I HAVE RETAINED THE NEED FOR CONTINUED STIMULATION, SO I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH THE JOB OF COOK FOR THE CROWDER SENIOR CENTER. HAVING FOUND YOUR RECIPES, LOVE MOST OF THEM, FEEL I CAN USE THEM IN MY MEAL PREP AND SERVE LUNCH. I HAVE LEARNED TO UTILIZE THE SLOW COOKER, BUT NEVER THOUGHT OF A MEATLOAF, SO READY SET GO.
    THANK YOU, WM

    1. Nice to meet you Wandamae. I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed my recipes and are able to share them with your senior center. Enjoy!