Description
Italian Meatball Soup: A cozy, creamy bowl of comfort featuring tender mini meatballs, cheese tortellini, and a rich herbed broth. This hearty Italian-inspired soup is perfect for weeknight dinners and chilly evenings, delivering warmth and flavor with every spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2 cups cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well and roll into mini meatballs (about 1 inch in size).
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add meatballs and brown on all sides; remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté onion and garlic for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Add dried basil and oregano, then return the browned meatballs to the pot. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Stir in tortellini and cook according to package directions, usually 5–7 minutes.
- Reduce heat and stir in heavy cream, spinach, and Parmesan. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until creamy and spinach is wilted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm with crusty bread.
Notes
- Ground beef or turkey both work well for the meatballs.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half or milk for heavy cream and use lower-fat Parmesan.
- For a touch of heat, sprinkle in red pepper flakes to taste.
- Serve with crusty bread for dipping and extra parsley garnish.
- Leftovers refrigerate up to 3-4 days; freeze meatballs separately for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
Keywords: Italian Meatball Soup, Creamy Italian soup, Tortellini meatball soup, Comfort soup, Family dinner, Easy Italian soup