Italian Meatball Soup
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Sep 2, 2025 
Best Italian Meatball Soup Recipe – This rustic and delicious Italian soup is brimming with homemade meatballs, tender pasta, and veggies, all in a rich tomato broth. It’s ready to serve in under an hour for a cozy dinner any night of the week!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Not to be confused with Italian wedding soup, also with meatballs and vegetables… This heartier Italian Meatball Soup recipe has a deep tomato and beef base, and is perfect for fall and winter meals. It’s bolder, meatier, and packed with zesty flavor.
Why You’ll Love Italian Meatball Soup
- One Pot Perfection – Our meatball soup is made with Italian sausage, or a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage, lots of fresh garlic, onions, celery, carrots, and small pasta in any shape you like! Everything comes together in one pot – including searing the homemade meatballs on the stovetop.
- Quick and Easy – In just 45 minutes, the savory, hearty, and delicious soup is ready to serve with warm bread and a fresh salad!
Ingredients You Need
For the Meatballs –
- Ground Italian sausage – spicy or mild
- Breadcrumbs – plain, or seasoned, and skip adding Italian seasoning
- Parmesan cheese – grated
- Milk and egg – for binders
- Italian seasoning – store-bought or homemade Italian seasoning
- Garlic cloves – minced and divided
For the Soup –
- Olive oil – or other high-heat and neutral-tasting oil, like canola or avocado oil
- Onion – peeled and chopped
- Celery – chopped
- Carrots – peeled and sliced
- Canned fire-roasted tomatoes – diced
- Broth – your choice of beef or chicken (I prefer beef)
- Pasta – and shape you like; we use wagon wheel pasta here
- Parsley – fresh, chopped
How to Make Italian Meatball Soup
Tips for Success: Although it’s very tempting to make giant meatballs for this soup recipe, the smaller the meatballs are the better. They need to be able to fit on a spoon. Also, if they are one-bite meatballs that makes them easier to eat. Try to keep them around or under 1-inch. Also, it’s best if the pasta is a little undercooked since it will continue to sit in the hot broth.
Find the full Meatball Soup recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Recipe Variations
- Protein – Swap beef/pork with ground chicken or turkey. Or use plant-based meatballs for an easy vegan soup recipe!
- Frozen meatballs – Save yourself some time and use cooked frozen meatballs. Add them to the pot, still frozen, with the broth and tomatoes.
- Pasta – We use wagon wheel-shaped noodles. However, you can make this easy recipe with other small pasta noodles like elbow macaroni, mini shells, or ditalini.
- Gluten-free – It’s easy to make this a gluten-free Italian soup! Simply use your favorite gluten-free breadcrumbs to make the meatballs, and whatever GF pasta you like.
- Veggies – You can add to or swap out vegetables! Other hearty veggies like zucchini, bell peppers, and green beans are all great options.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy warm bowls of Italian meatball soup topped with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and grated Parmesan, if you like!
The Mediterranean flavors are delicious with garlicky bread and a fresh, crisp salad. Try our wonderfully easy homemade garlic bread, garlic knots, or breadsticks for a super cozy rustic meal. I also love to serve a classic Caesar or updated Crispy Kale and Quinoa Salad with this soup.
Leftovers are super tasty the next day! Reheat a bowl for a satisfying lunch or quick dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Searing the meatballs on all sides helps them to keep their shape in the soup. Then take care to simmer the soup, but do not let it hard boil.
Cool the soup completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Italian meatball soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Yes, this soup is great for freezing! Once it cools, transfer the soup to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Italian Meatball Soup Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Meatballs –
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage or half sausage + half ground beef
- ½ cup Italian bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic minced (divided)
For the Soup –
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 2 – 15 ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 8 cups beef broth or chicken broth
- 1 ¼ cup small dried pasta any shape (I used mini wheels.)
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Chop all the fresh produce and divide the garlic into two piles, two cloves for the meatballs and two cloves for the soup.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, milk, egg, Italian seasoning, and two minced cloves of garlic. Mix well by hand until the mixture is very smooth. Then scoop and roll the meat mixture into small 1-inch meatballs that will easily fit on a spoon.
- Set a large 6-8 quart soup pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Once hot, add the meatballs. Gently turn the meatballs for 5 minutes to brown them on all sides. Then move the meatballs to a holding plate. (The meatballs do not have to be fully cooked, because they will go back in the soup. If needed, work in batches.)
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot. Add in the chopped onions, celery, carrots, and remaining minced garlic. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the diced tomatoes and beef broth to the pot. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the lid and simmer another 5 minutes. Then add the meatballs and pasta to the pot. Stir well, and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. (It's best if the pasta is a little under cooked since it will continue to sit in the hot broth.)
- Stir in the chopped parsley, and turn off the heat. Taste, then seasoned with salt and pepper as desired.
looks delicious
this kind of soup is everything I ask and dream for! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!