Recipes you will love forever.

Italian Meatball Soup

ByAva
Published OnJul 10, 2024
Updated OnSep 25, 2025

Italian meatball soup is a dish with rich flavours and comforting textures. With beef meatballs nestled in a savoury, tomato broth, this soup is ideal for cosy nights and casual gatherings.

The addition of pasta creates a satisfying element that makes it a complete meal, celebrating the flavours of Italian cuisine.

What do you need to make Italian Meatball Soup?

Beef meatballs, Onion, Basil, Garlic, Fresh cream, Tomato paste, Penne, Chicken stock cube, White pepper, Paprika powder, Salt, Oregano and Thyme.

You can use store-bought meatballs or make them from scratch at home. Store-bought meatballs provide convenience for quick and easy recipes. However, making meatballs at home is also easy; it will take an additional five to eight minutes. Make sure to flavour the minced meat with salt and pepper. Onion and Garlic add sweetness to the dish. Fresh basil adds an Italian flair to this dish. You can also use spinach or kale as a substitute. Tomato paste creates a savoury flavour with a slight tanginess.

White pepper and paprika powder add a subtle heat. Oregano and thyme are traditionally used in most Italian dishes and enhance the flavours immensely. You can substitute the chicken stock cube with fresh chicken stock or use beef stock as an alternative.

Instructions

Pour cooking oil into the pot and turn on the temperature to medium-low heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 5 minutes, until they are brown. Remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside. Slice the onions and garlic, add them to the pot, and cook on medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until caramelized. This process will bring out the sweetness of the onions and garlic. Add the tomato paste to the pot.

Mix the tomato paste with the onions and garlic. Sauté the mixture for one minute until the flavours of the tomato paste is infused into the onions. Add the meatballs to the pot. Add water, the chicken stock cube, and the spices. Mix well and simmer for fifteen minutes.

Cook the pasta in a separate pot for 7 minutes, then turn off the heat and drain the water before it reaches al dente. This will create the best texture for the pasta in the Italian meatball soup. While it’s possible to cook the pasta in the same pot with the tomato-based sauce, doing so may result in a slightly soggier texture due to the release of starch.

Add the pasta to the soup with the fresh cream and the basil leaves. Stir the mixture and taste the salt levels, adjust accordingly. Cook the soup for an additional 2 minutes on medium-low heat, then turn off the heat. The Italian meatball soup is ready to eat. Enjoy.

Italian meatball soup encompasses the essence of Italian cuisine. This soup can be enjoyed at anytime of the day. For extra flavour, consider browning up some basil leaves and adding it on top as garnish along with your favourite cheese.

What to Serve with Italian Meatball Soup?

Although not necessary due to the addition of the pasta, Italian meatball soup can be served with Garlic bread or focaccia bread. A light salad, such as Red pepper and Rocket with a tangy Italian salad dressing, would also complement this dish well. Consider sprinkling some freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Grana Padano over the top.

How to Store Italian Meatball Soup?

If you have leftovers, store the soup in the refrigerator once it has cooled down. You can store the store for up to three days. You can freeze the soup for up to three months; however, it is advisable to exclude the pasta, as it will turn mushy during the defrosting process. We recommend cooking fresh pasta to add to the thawed soup later.