This creamy meatball soup recipe is a delightfully flavorful and comforting dish for the winter season.
There are few things in life that can make a person feel better after a long day at work, but one of the best is coming home to an amazing meal. This easy recipe for Creamy Meatball Soup will have you feeling warm and cozy.
Even if you’re not much of a cook, this soup recipe is so easy to follow that anyone could do it. With just a few ingredients, it doesn’t get any easier than this. So go ahead and treat yourself to some homemade goodness tonight.
This soup is a one pot meal. If you are like me, you love easy dinners and easy clean up too. This is one of those recipes. I will make a big batch and we will eat it for a few days for easy lunches during the winter months. A delicious comfort food and a great way to enjoy tender and juicy meatballs.
Ingredients in this Creamy Soup
If you would like to make your meatballs from scratch, here is a recipe for homemade meatballs that has all of the ingredients I used to make these little gems. I made the meatballs and used them in a meatball sub sandwich.
Olive Oil. If you plan on making fresh meatballs, brown them for added flavor. Then you will need to add a bit of oil to the kettle, so the meat does not stick.
Meatballs Fresh or Frozen. Today, I made fresh meatballs and seared them before adding the rest of the soup ingredients. However, I often, will have a bag of frozen Italian meatballs in my freezer and will add that to the soup. If I use frozen, I can skip the step of searing the meatballs.
Onion. Today I used a yellow onion; however, you can really use any type of onion you have on hand, red, white, or Vidalia. They all work.
Water. Adjust as needed for your desired thickness.
Chicken Stock Packet. This is something I keep in my pantry. It works wonders for adding flavor. I will have a link to the specific kind I use in the recipe. If you have homemade chicken broth on hand, go ahead and use a cup of that instead.
Better Than Bouillon Chicken Stock. I keep this on hand in my refrigerator and use it in gravy and soup making. Just an easy way to add delicious flavor. I will have a link in the recipe for this as well.
Rotini Pasta. You can use any hearty pasta for this recipe. Just a bit goes a long way and the heartier the pasta, the more liquid it will soak up. Therefore, you may have to adjust the liquid in the recipe near the end depending on what type of pasta you decide to use.
Cauliflower Florets. I wanted to add a bit of vegetable to this soup, and this added just the right texture and taste to the soup. You can add really any fresh veggies that you prefer.
Spinach. I used an entire bag of fresh spinach. However, if you happen to have frozen spinach, that would work just fine too.
Heavy Cream. Make sure to use heavy whipping cream, the kind you find in the dairy aisle at your grocery store. If you add milk, it will often curdle and while it may taste fine, it will have a bag mouth feel. When using the heavy cream, it gives this soup a luxurious, rich, and creamy mouth feel.
Cheese Shredded. Today I used a three-cheese blend of Parmesan, Asiago, Monterey Cheese. I purchased a pre-shredded bag at the store. It was so convenient and the perfect combination of cheeses to add so much flavor to this recipe.
How to Make This Italian Meatball Soup
A hearty recipe for those busy weeknights. This is a family favorite on a chilly night. I am thankful that this is an easy recipe that I can whip up quickly too. If you are a fan of soup, give this one a try.
In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 12 meatballs. Brown for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the meatballs and set aside. Repeat this step with the next 12 meatballs.
Add the diced onion and cook a few minutes until translucent.
Next add the water, chicken stock packet, better than bouillon seasoning, and the cooked meatballs. Cover and bring to a boil.
Then add the pasta, cauliflower, and spinach. Cover and cook another 10 minutes.
Add the heavy cream and shredded cheese blend. Stirring to incorporate while the cheese is melting. Turn the heat down and simmer until the pasta is done.
As the pasta expands it will soak up the water. You may need to add a bit more water if it gets too thick. Adjust the liquid as needed.
Make This Soup in a Slow Cooker
Just add the pre-cooked or frozen meatballs and other ingredients, except the pasta, cheese, and cream, to a slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours. Then add the pasta, cheese, and cream, and cook another hour.
If you will be at work during the day and want to come home to a quick meal, then cook the first part of the ingredients on low for up to 8 hours. When you come home just add the pasta, cheese, and cream. And cook on high an hour until the soup is done.
Pro Tips on Making This Creamy Meatball Soup Recipe
Follow these simple tips for the ideal hearty, rich, and creamy soup. So quick, easy, and delicious. It is so hard to have just one bowl.
If using fresh meatballs, make sure to brown them first. This will create a lovely caramelization, which adds so much flavor to the meatballs and the soup.
When adding the cream and shredded cheeses, turn off the heat and stir to incorporate them evenly. Then turn the heat back on and bring to a gentle boil. This will help these ingredients combine and absorb into the soup uniformly without scorching.
No heavy cream? No worries, if you happen to have some cream cheese in your crisper, just add that in place of the cream.
If you like a bit of spice in your soup, go ahead and add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a bit of hot sauce.
Hearty Keto Recipe
Make this a Keto Pasta Recipe
You can either omit the pasta or add a keto friendly pasta to this recipe. There are so many choices available now that are hearty and taste great. Pastas that are made from lentils, hearts of palm pasta, beans, and a few other plant-based options as well. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Here are a few for you to check out.
How to Freeze Creamy Meatball Soup
If you plan on making this recipe for future meals or a freezer meal, then I leave out the pasta and add just a bit when you are reheating this. Or you can pour the soup over already cooked pasta.
If I know I am going to freeze this for future meals, I will make a double batch so I can enjoy some today and freeze the rest for future meals.
How do you freeze soup?
Freeze in single portions. It will freeze faster and thaw quicker too.
Sore in freezer plastic bags as they are a bit thicker and will protect the soup from freezer burn. Also, the plastic bags can lay flat for easy storage.
If you have a plastic airtight container, they will also work great for freezing in smaller portions. They are stackable for saving freezer space too.
Make sure not to overfill the containers. The contents will expand a bit when frozen; therefore, fill ¾ full.
If freezing in the plastic bags, store them flat for even and quick freezing. Saves on freezer space too as they will stack up nicely.
This soup will last in the freezer for up to 4 months for best quality. However, if kept frozen at 0 degrees, it will last up to a year.
To thaw, just place the container in the refrigerator. You can also place the plastic bag or container in cool water. That will speed up the thawing process.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stove in medium-low heat.
Other Frozen Meatball Recipes
If you love to use meatballs in recipes and are looking for more ideas, I have a few meatball recipes for you to try. They are all so delicious and easy to whip up. Getting the meatballs already made is a real time saver for easy weeknight meals.
Enjoy a flavorful bowl of soup with a rich broth.
Creamy Meatball Soup Recipe
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 24 Meatballs Fresh or Frozen
- 1 Large Onion Diced
- 6 Cups Water
- 1 Chicken Stock Packet
- 2 Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Stock
- 8 Ounce Rotini Pasta Uncooked
- 12 Ounces Cauliflower Florets
- 8 Ounces Spinach
- 1 Pint Heavy Cream
- 5 Ounces Cheese Shredded Parmesan cheese, Asiago cheese, and Monterey Cheese Blend
Instructions
- In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 12 meatballs. Brown for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the meatballs and set aside. Repeat this step with the next 12 meatballs.4 Tablespoons Olive Oil, 24 Meatballs
- Add the diced onion and cook a few minutes until translucent.1 Large Onion
- Next add the water, chicken stock packet, better than bouillon seasoning, and the cooked meatballs. Cover and bring to a boil.6 Cups Water, 1 Chicken Stock Packet, 2 Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Stock
- Then add the pasta, cauliflower, and spinach. Cover and cook another 10 minutes.8 Ounce Rotini Pasta, 12 Ounces Cauliflower Florets, 8 Ounces Spinach
- Add the heavy cream and shredded cheese blend. Stirring to incorporate while the cheese is melting. Turn the heat down and simmer until the pasta is done.1 Pint Heavy Cream, 5 Ounces Cheese
- As the pasta expands it will soak up the water. You may need to add a bit more water if it gets too thick. Adjust the liquid as needed.
Your Own Private Notes
Notes
There is a Short Video on This Recipe
How to Freeze Creamy Meatball Soup
If you plan on making this recipe for future meals or a freezer meal, then I leave out the pasta and add just a bit when you are reheating this. Or you can pour the soup over already cooked pasta. If I know I am going to freeze this for future meals, I will make a double batch so I can enjoy some today and freeze the rest for future meals.How do you freeze soup?
Freeze in single portions. It will freeze faster and thaw quicker too.Sore in freezer plastic bags as they are a bit thicker and will protect the soup from freezer burn. Also, the plastic bags can lay flat for easy storage. If you have a plastic airtight container, they will also work great for freezing in smaller portions. They are stackable for saving freezer space too. Make sure not to overfill the containers. The contents will expand a bit when frozen; therefore, fill ¾ full. If freezing in the plastic bags, store them flat for even and quick freezing. Saves on freezer space too as they will stack up nicely. This soup will last in the freezer for up to 4 months for best quality. However, if kept frozen at 0 degrees, it will last up to a year. To thaw, just place the container in the refrigerator. You can also place the plastic bag or container in cool water. That will speed up the thawing process. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove in medium-low heat.
