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Creamy Italian Meatball Soup

Creamy Italian meatball soup in white bowl with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese garnish
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This hearty creamy Italian meatball soup features tender meatballs, pasta, and vegetables swimming in a rich, creamy broth infused with Italian herbs and spices. Perfect comfort food for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (for meatballs)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (for soup base)
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini or orzo)
  • 1 cup spinach or kale, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, 2 cloves minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined. Form mixture into small, bite-sized meatballs about 1 inch in diameter (makes approximately 24-28 meatballs) and place on a baking sheet.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large 5-6 quart pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add meatballs in batches of 8-10, cooking until golden brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
  3. In the same pot, add remaining olive oil and sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in remaining 3 cloves minced garlic, dried basil, and oregano. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  4. Pour in chicken or vegetable broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add pasta, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook in the simmering broth for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente.
  5. Return browned meatballs to the pot, allowing them to finish cooking in the soup for about 10 minutes until internal temperature reaches 160°F for beef or 165°F for turkey.
  6. Remove pot from high heat and let cool for 1 minute. Stir in chopped spinach and heavy cream. Return to medium-low heat and cook for another 2-3 minutes until spinach wilts and soup is heated through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  7. Garnish with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

Notes

  • Don’t overwork meatballs when mixing. Mix gently to keep them tender.
  • Pre-cook pasta separately if reheating leftovers to avoid mushy pasta.
  • Use fresh spinach for best results. Frozen works if thawed and drained.
  • Make it gluten-free with gluten-free breadcrumbs and pasta.
  • Brown meatballs in batches for better caramelization and flavor.
  • Add cream after removing from high heat to prevent curdling.
  • For freezing: freeze soup before adding pasta and cream, then add fresh when reheating.

Nutrition

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