This easy meatball soup recipe comes together in one pot in less than 45 minutes! It’s super hearty, flavorful and sure to be a family favorite!
Whenever I make homemade meatballs for dinner, I love to make a double batch and freeze extras to use for easy weeknight dinners. They taste delicious reheated in this soup, on a meatball sub or served over egg noodles in a creamy Swedish meatball sauce.
This recipe is a new favorite at our house! It’s such an easy dish to make and comes together in one pot in less than 45 minutes. Plus it’s perfectly hearty and full of flavor.
I love to make my homemade meatballs with this soup (if you haven’t tried them, they are amazing!). I usually make a big batch to keep in the freezer and pull out for this recipe or serve over cooked pasta with marinara. However when I’m in a pinch, I’ll use frozen store-bought meatballs and just thaw them before adding to the soup.
It tastes delicious with freshly grated parmesan and basil on top. And don’t forget to serve each bowl with a warm breadstick or slice of homemade french bread. Seriously so delicious!
How to make meatball soup
- SAUTE. Cook the chopped onions, carrots and celery in a large pot until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then add the pre-cooked meatballs and garlic and cook a few more minutes.
- SIMMER. Next add the broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- COOK. Then add the pasta and cook and additional 10 minutes (or until cooked al dente). It will continue to cook once off the heat, so make sure you don’t over cook the noodles.
Cooking tips
- To make healthier: You can use turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs and cut out the pasta. You could also add in more vegetables and 2-3 cups of baby spinach or kale during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
- Convenience: Use pre-chopped veggies, frozen garlic cubes and store-bought meatballs to make it even easier.
- Frozen meatballs: Set frozen meatballs out to thaw for a couple of hours prior to adding to the soup.
- Noodles: I love using Ditalini pasta, but elbow noodles work great too. You could even use small pasta shells.
- Toppings: We always add fresh shaved parmesan and fresh basil on top of ours. It finishes it off with the perfect flavor!
Freezing + reheating
You can absolutely freeze this meatball soup, however I’d recommend leaving out the pasta so that it doesn’t get mushy. Let cool completely, then pour in a freezer bag or container. Don’t fill it all the way to the top – you want to leave enough room for the soup to expand. Then store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Let thaw in the fridge overnight or microwave to thaw. Then reheat in a pot in the stove until warm. While the soup warms, cook the pasta in a separate pot. Then mix it in with the leftover soup and enjoy!
More easy soup recipes:
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
Meatball Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 cup celery
- 1 cup carrots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pound fully cooked meatballs (frozen or homemade)
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups Ditalini pasta (or elbow noodles)
Optional: S&P, parmesan and fresh basil for serving
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-heat. Then add in onions, carrots and celery and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Then add the pre-cooked meatballs and garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Next add in the beef broth, tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes on medium-low, stirring occasionally.
- Then add the noodles to the soup and cook and additional 10 minutes, or until cooked al dente. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy with parmesan and fresh basil, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Meatballs that are frozen are not too good . Been making this with own meatball recipe , but the meatballs
are smaller spoon size
Made this for dinner and it was so delicious!
What a delicious meatball soup recipe! I made this for my parents, as a drop-off food gift. They just called to say it was a huge hit. This recipe’s a keeper.
This Easy Meatball Soup is so pretty! Love the recipe too!
We made this constintently during the fall and winter! The kids LOVE it!
I’m so glad it’s a hit in your family! Thanks for leaving a comment and review. :)
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of meatball soup before! It looks SO good!
Hope you enjoy! :)
My kid goes crazy over the meatball soup! I should try your recipe!
This is everything a gourmet soup should be, and then some! Looking forward to warming up with this on a cool night!
My family cannot get enough of this soup. It has such an amazing flavor!
This looks simply perfect! Just what I need on this rainy day!