Ahhh meatball soup 🥣🍖—cozy, hearty, and perfect for any day. Here’s a classic, comforting version that’s easy and flexible.
Classic Meatball Soup
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef (or beef/pork mix)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt & black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for browning)
Soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (optional)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 cup small pasta (orzo, ditalini) or diced potatoes
- 1–2 cups spinach or kale
Instructions
1️⃣ Make meatballs
Mix meatball ingredients gently. Roll into small balls.
2️⃣ Brown meatballs
Heat olive oil in a pot or skillet. Brown meatballs on all sides (they don’t need to cook through yet). Remove and set aside.
3️⃣ Build the soup
In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
4️⃣ Simmer
Add broth, tomatoes, seasoning, salt & pepper. Bring to a simmer.
Add meatballs and cook 10 minutes.
5️⃣ Add pasta & greens
Stir in pasta or potatoes and cook until tender.
Add spinach/kale and cook 1–2 minutes until wilted.
6️⃣ Serve
Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve hot with crusty bread.
Variations
- 🇮🇹 Italian wedding soup: smaller meatballs, add acini di pepe
- 🍋 Lemon Greek-style: chicken meatballs + lemon zest
- 🌶️ Spicy: add red pepper flakes
Pro Tips
- Smaller meatballs = better soup spoon experience
- Parmesan rind in the broth = next-level flavor
- Freezes great (add pasta fresh when reheating)
If you want, I can give you a one-pot dump-and-simmer version, a slow-cooker meatball soup, or a creamy Swedish-style meatball soup 😏
