This savory soup recipe with Italian meatballs and orzo pasta takes less than 30 minutes to make and is the perfect hearty, satisfying dinner for a cold winter month.
A perfect soup for a football game or a movie on the couch, this simple and cozy broth recipe is perfectly made in one big pot for an unforgettable must-make dinner.
Why you will love making Meatball Soup!
Soup is simple – A complete meal in and of itself, soup recipes keep dinner simple.
Aside from a crusty piece of bread or crunchy parmesan croutons, you won’t need any side dish recipes or appetizers to complete this meal. All the protein and vegetables are rolled up into one healthy, delicious bite!
Classic for the win – Sure, you can get creative with dinner and make baked chicken parmesan or million dollar spaghetti, but not every night has to be a showstopping five course meal.
This meatball soup with juicy beef and bits of orzo pasta has comforting and classic flavors.
Ingredients:
- beef broth
- diced Italian style tomatoes (tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano)
- Italian herb blend seasoning
- frozen meatballs (mini meatballs work great if you can find them) (keep frozen)
- Italian style frozen vegetables (keep frozen)
- orzo pasta
- Topping – shredded fresh Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley for serving
How to make Italian Meatball Soup with Pasta.
- Add broth, water, tomatoes, and seasoning to a large soup pot or dutch oven. Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat.
- Add storebought meatballs, vegetables, and dry pasta, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook and boil until pasta is tender and meatballs are hot about 10-12 minutes.
- Stir occasionally so the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Remove hearty soup from heat and serve hot, topped with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Use Frozen Meatballs for Easy Soup
We wanted to give you the EASEST way to make Italian meatball soup.
And because most people lead busy working or family lives, using frozen Italian meatballs keeps this soup a simple way to whip up something homemade without sacrificing too much time in the kitchen.
That being said, if you want to go all out, this old fashioned Italian meatball recipe is incredibly good. Just make smaller soup sized homemade meatballs for easy eating.
Important Pasta Note
After removing the saucepan from the heat, the orzo pasta may continue to absorb some of the liquid and become a little thicker.
It will not affect the taste.
Serve soup with these Classics!
The soup goes fantastic with shredded or grated parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, Italian Panzanella salad, and a side of crusty bread or flaky puff pastry breadsticks.
Tips for Tomato Meatball Soup Recipe
This rich tomato flavored soup is quick and easy, but you can alter the seasonings, and fresh herbs to custom make a soup that will light up your tastebuds.
We suggest garlic powder, salt, and cracked black pepper.
If frozen meatballs are too large, cut in half or 4ths for a simple spoonful bite.
Italian meatball soup is not the same as Italian wedding soup, which contains greens like fresh spinach and pastini (Small pieces of pasta in any shape).
Store leftover soup in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Warm slowly on the stovetop adding additional flavorful broth as needed.
Creamy Soup Tip
Add a bit of heavy whipping cream or four oz. of cream cheese for a creamy meatball soup. Let the heat and stir in.
Cream cheese does have a habit of melting with bits floating on top, so if that bothers you, remove some broth from the soup and whip in cream cheese first before putting back into the stockpot.
Easy Italian Recipes
Whether you enjoy soup season or hankering for some Italian food, we have other amazing weeknight meals (and delicious soups) for your entire family to love.
One of our family favorite comfort food soup recipes is this lasagna soup recipe. DELICIOUS.
Another great choice to enjoy some pasta is baked chicken alfredo.
Italian Meatball Soup (Frozen Meatballs)
Equipment
- dutch oven or stockpot
Ingredients
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 cups water
- 30 oz. diced Italian style tomatoes (tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano typically 2 cans
- 1 tbsp. Dry Italian Seasoning
- 16 oz. frozen Italian meatballs (keep frozen)
- 12 oz. Italian style frozen vegetables (keep frozen)
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- shredded Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Add beef broth, water, canned seasoned Italian tomatoes, and dry Italian seasoning to a large stockpot.
- Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat.
- Add frozen meatballs, frozen Italian vegetables, and dry Orzo pasta to the pot and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook and boil until pasta is tender and meatballs are hot all the way through, about 10-12 minutes.
- Stir Italian Meatball Soup occasionally so Orzo pasta doesn't stick to the bottom.
- Remove soup from heat and immediately serve hot, topped with shredded Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
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