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October 16, 2015

Italian Meatball Soup

This Italian Meatball Soup is perfect for nights you want hearty comfort food fast! Loaded with tender beef meatballs, potatoes, and plenty of veggies, this flavorful soup is always a crowd-pleaser. An easy and affordable dinner option sure to please the whole family!

Meatball Soup from Scratch

This Italian Meatball Soup is perfect for nights you want hearty comfort food fast! Italian Meatball Soup Recipe

Alright friends, show of hands, who is stoked it’s finally soup season?! Soup, stew, chili, or chowder – whatever you call it, I love it. I especially love making a big batch at the beginning of the week; it’s my secret weapon for easy lunches and quick dinners. No hangries here!

This Italian Meatball Soup is perfect for nights you want hearty comfort food fast!

I love meatballs and I love soup, so I’m not sure why it took me so long to think up the delicious idea of the combining the two.

Full disclosure: I can’t even really take credit for thinking this one up. My magical mom – reigning soup queen and creator of the famous flu fighter chicken noodle soup – made us meatball soup on the regular as kiddos. So I guess the real question is why it’s taken me 20 some years to make it on my own?! I’ve got some major catching up to do.

But, as usual, I digress! Let’s get started on this simple meatball soup adventure!

First up, we make the meatballs! For the meatball mixture you’re going to need ground beef, garlic, egg, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, fresh parsley, panko bread crumbs, a little warm water, salt, and pepper. ← I know, a lot of ingredients!!! But I bet you have most of them already hiding in your fridge and pantry.

These little meatballs pack a lot of flavor and are essential to the soups overall taste. I do not recommend skipping or substituting any ingredients. Don’t mess with perfection. πŸ˜‰

This Italian Meatball Soup is perfect for nights you want hearty comfort food fast!

This Italian Meatball Soup is perfect for nights you want hearty comfort food fast!

Let’s talk veggies!

In this soup we have onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and potatoes! If you’re looking for an extra veggie fix, adding a few cups of baby spinach will work wonderfully. Toss it into the soup 5 or 10 minutes before serving – that way it won’t wilt too much. My mom actually always made this soup with spinach (or escarole), but my rebellious adult soul choose to not.

I’ll take my daily dose of green in the form of these bacon and jalapeno scones, thank you very much. So good with soup!

This Italian Meatball Soup is perfect for nights you want hearty comfort food fast!

The liquid base of this meatball and potato soup is extremely flavorful thanks to the combination of beef broth, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, and tomato paste. A tiny touch of crushed red pepper flakes add a subtle kick. Y-U-M.

This Italian Meatball Soup is perfect for nights you want hearty comfort food fast!

This recipe is soup-er easy (← couldn’t resist!), but the longest part is waiting for it to simmer. Pour yourself a glass of wine (or two), kick up your feet (when was the last time you did that?!), and take in the amazing smells coming from your kitchen. Before you know it, it’ll be time to scoop and serve. Happy slurping, soup lovers!

More Soup Recipes:

  • Italian Minestrone Soup
  • 20-Minute Spicy Sriracha Ramen Noodle Soup
  • Italian Chicken Tortellini Soup

This Italian Meatball Soup is perfect for nights you want hearty comfort food fast! Loaded with tender beef meatballs, potatoes, and plenty of veggies, this flavorful soup is always a crowd-pleaser. An easy and affordable dinner option sure to please the whole family!

This Italian Meatball Soup is perfect for nights you want hearty comfort food fast!

1 vote

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Italian Meatball Soup

Prep 20 mins

Cook 1 hour

Total 1 hour, 20 mins

Author Ashley Manila

Yield 8 servings

Healthy, hearty, delicious Meatball Soup loaded with carrots, celery, and potatoes.

Ingredients

  • For the meatballs:
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste (I recommend a minimum of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper)
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup lukewarm water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • For the soup:
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 yellow onions, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 6 regular sized carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 6 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 8 small golden potatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • (1) 32 ounce container beef broth
  • (1) 32 ounce container chicken broth
  • (1) 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl combine the beef, garlic, egg, cheese, Italian seasoning, parsley, salt, pepper, and panko; use your hands to combine. Slowly add the water, a few tablespoons at a time, using your hands to incorporate until combined. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape when rolled into meatballs. Using a measuring spoon, roll one tablespoon sized balls of meat into round, right balls; repeat with all meat.
  2. Add oil to a large dutch oven (or soup pot) and bring to a simmer over medium-heat. Add in the meatballs - all at once if there's room, or in two batches - and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon carefully remove the meatballs, transferring them to large plate; set aside until needed.
  3. Keep pan (and all remaining oil inside) on the burner over medium-heat.
  4. For the soup:
  5. In the same *pan you cooked the meatballs, add crushed red pepper flakes and onion and saute for 6 minutes. Add in the carrots, celery, and potatoes and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add beef broth, chicken broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce (if using), stirring until combined and the tomato paste has completely dissolved into the broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in the bay leaves, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the meatballs back into the pot and cook for another 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese, taste for seasoning (add salt and pepper if needed), sprinkle with parsley, and serve at once. Add more cheese to each bowl, if desired.

Notes

*There should be enough oil in the pan left from the meatballs, so you shouldn't need to add more before adding the onions.

Courses Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 bowl

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Soup

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Medeja says

    October 18, 2015 at 11:11 am

    Looks so nice and warming.. Yummy!

    Reply
  2. Senika @ Foodie Blog Stalker says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:04 pm

    So much FLAVOR in one soup! I love that you used both beef and chicken broth. Can’t wait to try it out, pinned!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      October 22, 2015 at 2:05 am

      There is definitely a ton of flavor in this one! I hope you love it!

      Reply
  3. Marissa says

    October 23, 2015 at 1:56 pm

    Hi Ashley!
    I’m so excited to have found your blog today. I’ve been drooling over (and pinning!) multiple recipes, and just wrote out my shopping list to make this soup. Looking forward to making it πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      October 23, 2015 at 2:11 pm

      Hi Marissa. That means so much to me! Thank you πŸ™‚ I hope you love the soup. And if you ever have any questions, please feel free to bend my ear. Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Angel says

    February 14, 2016 at 7:39 pm

    Hello! This looks and sounds amazing! I trying tonight in this crazy cold winter day. πŸ™‚
    Quick question. …what do you do with the meatballs while you wait the 45 minutes to put them back in? I woukd most likely put them in the fridge because I wasn’t sure if 45 minutes on the counter is ok to do. What works best for you ? Thank you!!! Can’t wait to enjoy this with my family ! πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      February 14, 2016 at 8:31 pm

      Hi Angel. I just leave them on the counter, but if you’re worried about it, feel free to pop them in the fridge – it won’t do any harm πŸ™‚ Stay warm and cozy!!! xo

      Reply
      • Angel says

        February 18, 2016 at 11:37 pm

        Thank you so much!! πŸ™‚ My kids devoured it and I’ve made it again at their request tonight. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!!

        Reply
        • bakerbynature says

          February 21, 2016 at 2:30 pm

          That’s awesome, Angel! So happy to hear you and the kiddos are enjoying this recipe πŸ™‚

          Reply
  5. Bill Wells says

    February 24, 2016 at 7:10 pm

    Yes you do kind of wander.

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am

      Hi Bill. Is there a question you have?

      Reply
  6. Mel says

    March 12, 2016 at 5:10 pm

    When do you add the potatoes?

    Reply
    • Mel says

      March 12, 2016 at 5:12 pm

      Oops. Never mind. I totally missed it in the recipe.

      Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      March 14, 2016 at 1:26 pm

      Haha glad you caught it πŸ˜‰ Enjoy, Mel!

      Reply
  7. Brenda C. says

    April 4, 2016 at 12:53 am

    Love this recipe and so did my kids!! Thanks for sharing πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      April 5, 2016 at 2:31 pm

      Yay! So happy to hear it, Brenda!

      Reply
  8. Vivian says

    November 17, 2016 at 4:44 am

    Last minute Pinterest idea for dinner! Loved the soup. It was delicious. It was a winner for everyone today! Thank you.

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      November 17, 2016 at 12:53 pm

      You’re so welcome, Vivian! Glad everyone enjoyed it πŸ™‚

      Reply
  9. Vicki says

    January 6, 2017 at 12:02 pm

    Sounds yummy! Plan on making it for dinner tonight on this cold day!

    Reply
  10. Tammie says

    August 19, 2017 at 10:06 pm

    I’m thinking about making this for the guys I work with (about 30). I want to cheat and use the already made frozen meatballs. How much would I need to use to feed them all?

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      August 20, 2017 at 3:33 pm

      Hi Tammie. I would suggest doubling or even tripling the recipe to feed that many men! I’d guess you’ll need at least 3 bags of mini frozen meatballs.

      Reply
  11. Chanelle says

    November 5, 2017 at 10:08 pm

    I made this and it was delicious! The meatballs were perfect!! Thanks

    Reply
  12. Simone R. says

    November 14, 2017 at 6:17 pm

    I made this the other night and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  13. Candace says

    January 4, 2018 at 2:47 am

    Hi! I’m really enjoying your recipes!! I’m going to make your Italian meatball soup. How much does the recipe make? How much per serving?
    ~Candace

    Reply
  14. Katherine Dietz says

    March 12, 2019 at 11:19 am

    I have never used Panko because the crumbs are too hard for my teeth what can I use or does the Panko breadcrumbs become soft in the meatballs? Would it help to grind them up in my coffee grinder?
    Thanks
    Katherine

    Reply

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Meet Ashley

Hey! I’m Ashley, a creative spirit with a major sweet tooth. Most days you can find me in my happy place: the kitchen. If I’m not there, I’m probably snapping photos of food, planning a party… or dreaming about my next trip to Paris (AKA my favorite place in the entire world). I’m a story teller, recipe developer, and photographer who firmly believes that a homemade life is a happy life. Learn More.

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