Delicious Italian Meatball Soup is made with homemade meatballs, tomatoes and Ditalini pasta in a beef broth. It’s a hearty and tasty Italian soup. Gluten-free option.
This tasty soup is made for meatball lovers! The flavors are amazing!
Italian Meatball Soup
The homemade meatball recipe I use for this soup is very similar to my popular meatballs and sauce recipe. I also use a similar meatball recipe for my Italian Wedding Soup too.
It’s made with a beef broth flavored with diced tomatoes and canned tomato sauce to give it a good tomato base as well. It’s a hearty and wholesome soup that can be served as a dinner meal (add a dinner roll.)
This soup has the following veggies: tomatoes, carrots and onions but, if you want to add more, see my list of of suggestions below.
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I chose ditalini pasta for this recipe. Ditalini are small tubular pasta that is often used in minestrone soup. I didn’t put too much pasta in this recipe because I don’t want to take away from the meatballs but, still adding some more heartiness.
Make it gluten-free by omitting the pasta or using gluten-free pasta. Also, you could substitute 1 cup of cubed, one-inch wide potatoes for the pasta. Add them while the broth is coming to a boil.
Additions and Substitutions
- Add 1 cup of green beans.
- Add 1 cup of peas.
- Add 1/2 cup of red or white kidney beans (rinsed.)
- Substitute a meatloaf mix- ground beef, veal and pork
- Substitute orchette pasta for the ditalini.
- Substitute 1 cup of cubed, one-inch wide potatoes for pasta to make it gluten-free.
Your family will love this meatball soup as the first course to a big Italian meal, lunch or a simple but, filling dinner for one or two.
You may also like:
One Pot Authentic Homemade Italian Wedding Soup
Instant Pot Easy Hamburger Soup in 20 Min!
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup Recipe
Spinach and Tortellini Soup with Sausage
See more soup recipes.
I took this recipe to Weekend Potluck.
Italian Meatball Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped carrots
- 1/3 cup chopped onions
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 64 oz beef broth
- 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes, with juice
- 8 oz canned Hunt's tomato sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup Ditalini pasta
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/3 cup chopped onions
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, in a Dutch oven or large pot, add oil, chopped carrots and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 30 more seconds. Try not to let the garlic brown.
- Next, add the beef broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with juice and Italian seasoning. Stir, cover and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients. Mix by hand until well combined.
- Next, roll out meatballs about one inch wide each and plop them into the soup as you roll each one. Cook the soup for about 20 minutes longer.
- Last, add in the pasta, stir and let cook 8 minutes longer or until pasta is cooked.
Notes
Additions and Substitutions
- Add 1 cup of green beans.
- Add 1 cup of peas.
- Add 1/2 cup of red or white kidney beans (rinsed.)
- Substitute a meatloaf mix- ground beef, veal and pork
- Substitute orchette pasta for the ditalini.
- Substitute 1 cup of cubed, one-inch wide potatoes for pasta to make it gluten-free.