This simple and delicious meatball soup recipe is perfect for a quick and easy dinner. With hearty meatballs, flavorful broth, and vegetables, it’s sure to be a hit with the whole family. It is lightly seasoned with Italian spices in a tasty, beefy, rich tomato broth.
This delectable, tender meatball soup combines onions, carrots, celery, and green beans with Italian seasonings in a rich tomato-beef broth, featuring homemade meatballs and mini Farfalle Pasta. This soup is a complete meal, but sometimes I like to serve it with a garden salad and cheese garlic bread.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Ground beef: Use beef with a bit of fat in it for flavor
- Breadcrumbs: Italian, unseasoned, or homemade
- Olive oil: Substitute with vegetable oil or canola oil
- Beef broth: Use low-sodium or beef stock
- Tomato sauce: canned or homemade
- Small pasta: Any small pasta or noodle will work, such as mini farfalle, ditalini, acini de pepe, or orzo.
How To Make Meatball Soup
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
- Make the meatball mixture and roll it into meatballs. Brown them in a skillet or bake them in the oven.
- Cook the onions, carrots, celery, and green beans until the onions and celery are soft. Add the spices and cook for another minute or so.
- Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, and fire-roasted tomatoes, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add the pasta and cooked meatballs and simmer until the pasta is tender.
Preparation Tips
- Canned, fire-roasted tomatoes are charred over an open flame before being diced and canned. You can find them at your local grocery store, along with other canned tomatoes.
- Brown the meatball for added flavor and caramelization.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese to each soup bowl for added flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Substitute ground chicken, pork, or turkey for the ground beef. They all make delicious meatballs. Substitute chicken broth if you are using ground chicken or ground turkey.
I prefer fresh veggies, but frozen ones work as well. Just add them to the simmering soup.
Save time with frozen premade meatballs, or make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them. There is no need to thaw them. Just drop them in the simmering broth, frozen.
More Soup Recipes
Meatball Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1½ lbs ground beef
- ¼ cup finely minced yellow onions
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup Italian or plain breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Meatball Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 ½ cups green beans trimmed and cut in one inch segments
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 6 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- ¾ cup Mini Farfalle pasta
- chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Gently mix the ground beef, minced yellow onion, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire Sauce, salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Using a 1½-tablespoon scoop for equal proportioning, roll the meatballs and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the meatballs to the skillet and brown them. Work in batches and do not crowd the pan. Add more oil if needed. Remove the meatballs to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- In a large, heavy stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and green beans. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until slightly soft and fragrant. Add the parsley, oregano, basil, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Pour in the beef broth, tomato sauce, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Let everything simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Stir in the pasta and browned meatballs, and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Serve it promptly, so the pasta does not overcook.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
- To freeze, first cool to room temperature. Then spoon into freezer zipper bags, removing as much air as possible. Remember that liquid expands as it freezes, so do not fill the bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
- For best results, if you freeze or store any of this soup for later consumption, remove the portion you will save before adding the pasta. Hold back a proportionate amount of pasta and add it when you reheat the soup.
Nutrition
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Sienna
I absolutely love a hearty (and easy) soup like this for fall. Something that warms you up on the inside, is easy to make/clean up and thanks to the meatballs and pasta is super filling!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sienna! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Krysta Browning
Woke up to the sound of rain and decided to make this soup. I had a leftover ham hock so I used that broth instead of what your recipe called for and that was the only adjustment I made. It was so good and filling. Made some cheddar biscuits. Yum
Beth Pierce
Sounds like my kind of meal. I am happy that you liked it!
Tina
This recipe is AWESOME!! I use snow peas instead of greenbeans. It’s sooo good!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Tina! So glad that you like it!!
Erin
I made this almost exactly like the recipe. My intention was to not stray. I used turkey meatballs. Once I started adding salt to taste I added too much so I added 2 more cups of beef broth. And I used up the leftover cup of rice I had left in the fridge instead of the pasta. Amazing!!! Thank you for the recipe. It’s sure to go into my book of saved recipes!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Erin. So glad that you liked it. I bet it is delicious with rice.
Melynda Traube
I sautéed the veggies and added the spices and then put it in the crockpot along with the tomato sauce, fire roasted tomatoes and my beef broth. I used the better then bouillon roasted beef base and then my frozen meatballs. Cooking on low for about 4 1/2 hours then I will add the pasta. The broth tastes amazing and my kitchen is smelling delicious . Thanks for the great recipe.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine and thanks for the great tips for the crockpot. My readers and I appreciate it.
Keri
Absolutely delicious! Super easy and quick. Definitely will be making this again! Thanks for sharing!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Keri! So glad that you like it. The pleasure is all mine!
Kathleen A Cantisano
Can you use raw meatballs or do they have to be pre-cooked?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can but bring to a low boil and cook for 12-13 minutes to make sure they are cooked through. They will float to the top.
Diane
Yummy soap! Can anyone please tell me if this soap, fully cooked with pasta be frozen? Do the noodles ho funky?
Looking to .make simple meals for my 91 year old mother-in-law. Thank you in advance 😀
Beth Pierce
For best results, slightly undercook the noodles if freezing.
Brenda Woodward
Do you cook the pasta first & add or let pasta cook in the soup?
Beth Pierce
The pasta cooks in the soup.
Danny
When using frozen meatballs, do you cook them before adding them in or put them in directly?
Beth Pierce
No. Just drop them in there frozen.
Brian Ramm
Awesome-my Dad loved it! Went heavy on everything as he is more of a stew guy than soup. Will be plenty of leftovers for the week….
Beth Pierce
Thanks Brian! So glad that your Dad loved it!