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Cozy Italian Meatball Soup Recipe – Best Homemade Comfort

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A hearty and comforting Italian meatball soup with tender homemade meatballs, savory broth, vegetables, and small pasta. Ready in about 40 minutes, this one-pot meal is perfect for busy weeknights and tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ pound ground beef (80/20)
  • ½ pound mild Italian sausage (casings removed)
  • ⅓ cup plain breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 cup small pasta (ditalini, orzo, or stelline)
  • 2 cups fresh spinach or kale, roughly chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
  • Fresh parsley or basil (for serving)
  • Crusty bread (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Make the meatball mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything together gently until no streaks of egg remain. Do not overwork.
  2. Form the meatballs: Roll the mixture into small, 1-inch balls. You should get about 20 to 24 meatballs. Place them on a plate or baking sheet.
  3. Sauté the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion turns translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Build the broth: Pour in the chicken broth and the can of diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir in the dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes if using. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  5. Add the meatballs: Gently drop the raw meatballs into the simmering broth. Do not stir them around too much at first.
  6. Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for 15 minutes. The meatballs will cook through and float to the surface.
  7. Cook the pasta: Stir in the small pasta. Increase the heat to medium and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender but still has a little bite (al dente), about 8 to 10 minutes.
  8. Add the greens: Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped spinach or kale. The residual heat will wilt the greens in about 1 minute.
  9. Season and serve: Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh parsley or basil. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

For meal prep, cook pasta separately and add to individual bowls to prevent it from getting mushy. The soup freezes well without pasta and spinach. Use low-sodium broth and season at the end to control saltiness. Let the soup rest for 10 minutes before serving for best flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: Italian meatball soup, homemade meatball soup, cozy soup recipe, easy weeknight dinner, one-pot meal, comfort food, Italian sausage soup

Find it online: https://bouncybowl.com/cozy-italian-meatball-soup-recipe-best-homemade-comfort/