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Classic Meatball Soup

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 55 mins

meatball soup

This Meatball Soup Recipe is has a flavor tomato-based broth with Italian seasonings, pasta noodles, spinach, and bell peppers. Your family will love it with a dollop of Ricotta and some parmesan cheese!

Classic Meatball Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, can sub milk
  • 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated into a powder
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 lb. ground beef, 80% lean
  • 1/2 lb. ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup bell peppers, diced. (Red, green, or both)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth, can sub chicken broth
  • 2 (14.5.oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups spinach
  • 1 cup dry pasta
  • 1 teaspoon EACH: dried oregano, basil, parsley mustard powder
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
  • Salt/Pepper, to taste
  • 8 oz. Ricotta Cheese
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
  • Red Pepper Flakes

Preparation Tips

  • Finely dice 3 cloves of garlic.
  • Dice 1 yellow onion and bell peppers.
  • Have a 4.5-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot ready.
  • Use an immersion blender or standard blender for tomatoes.

Instructions

  1. Combine the whisked egg and heavy cream in a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and stir for 1-2 minutes to form a paste. This is called a "panade" and will make the meatballs super flavorful and tender. Add Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the ground beef and ground pork and gently combine, don't overwork the meat, we want tender meatballs.
  2. Roll the meat into 1-inch balls.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a 4 1/2 quart soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  4. Brown the meatballs in batches for 2-3 minutes, add a splash of olive oil throughout cooking and decrease heat slightly as need. The inside of the meatballs will finish cooking in the soup.
  5. Remove the meatballs and set aside.
  6. Place the diced tomatoes in a large bowl and use an immersion blender to blend it to your desired texture, chunks of tomato can be left if preferred. (Alternatively, you can also use a blender.) Set aside.
  7. Melt the butter in the same soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. This extra time helps release their natural sugars, balancing the acidity of the tomatoes.
  8. Add the peppers and cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute.
  9. Add in the chicken broth, beef broth, and tomatoes.
  10. Bring to a boil, the reduce to a simmer. Let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. You can also simmer it longer to contrate the flavor and thicken it more.
  11. Stir the soup and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Add the meatballs and the pasta and return it to a gentle boil. Cook until pasta is cooked through, refer to package for cooking time. It may take a little longer since we're boiling gently. Test-taste a noodle before serving.
  12. Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream, then add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
  13. Transfer to serving bowls and top with ricotta cheese, Parmesan, and red pepper flakes. (You can warm the ricotta in the microwave first if preferred.)