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Meatball Soup Recipe

4.1 from 86 reviews

A comforting and hearty Meatball Soup combining tender homemade or frozen meatballs, aromatic sautéed onions and garlic, rich tomato broth, tender rotini pasta, and fresh baby spinach, finished with a touch of creamy heavy cream and garnished with Parmesan and parsley.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

  • 1 recipe of homemade meatballs or 1820 oz. bag of frozen meatballs, thawed

Soup Base

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 32 oz. chicken broth
  • 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 8 oz. (about 2 1/2 cups) uncooked rotini pasta
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Garnish

  • Shaved Parmesan cheese
  • Freshly chopped parsley

Instructions

  1. Prepare Meatballs: Make homemade Italian meatballs, use air fryer meatballs, or thaw and cook an 18-20 oz. bag of frozen meatballs as per package instructions.
  2. Sauté Onion: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until onions begin to caramelize.
  3. Add Aromatics: Stir in minced garlic, Italian seasoning, tomato paste, and additional salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to release aromas.
  4. Deglaze Pot: Add a few splashes of chicken broth to the pot and scrape the bottom to lift browned bits for extra flavor.
  5. Add Remaining Ingredients: Pour in the remaining chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, uncooked rotini pasta, and cooked meatballs. Season with more salt and pepper.
  6. Simmer Soup: Bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until pasta is cooked al dente.
  7. Add Spinach and Cream: Stir in baby spinach and heavy cream until the spinach wilts and the soup is heated through.
  8. Season and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and freshly chopped parsley before serving.
  9. Enjoy and Review: If you loved this recipe, consider leaving a 5-star rating and review.

Notes

  • You can use homemade or store-bought frozen meatballs to save time.
  • Adjust the seasoning according to your taste preference, especially salt and pepper.
  • For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or omit it.
  • To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta and verify meatballs are gluten-free.
  • This soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Keywords: Meatball soup, Italian soup, comforting soup, meatball pasta soup, creamy tomato soup