Slow Cooker Meatball Soup
8 Comments Aug 21, 2023
Updated Apr 10, 2024
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Made with frozen meatballs, beef broth, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and just a few other ingredients, this delicious Meatball Soup is made in your slow cooker for an easy and absolutely delicious comforting soup.
If you like wholesome recipes that can be cooked in the crockpot, then you may also enjoy my Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup or Slow Cooker Creamy Taco Soup.
Table of Contents
Why this meatball soup recipe works
Most soup recipes either (1) call for a lot of tedious ingredients or (2) take a super long time to cook. With this Italian meatball soup, the prep time is quick thanks to using frozen meatballs instead of making your own. And, you only need to chop the carrot and celery prior to throwing everything into the crockpot.
This is also a hearty soup that can be enjoyed as is or with a few variations. Either way, I love how everything comes together to make a complete meal in one large bowl. Wholesome recipes like this deserve a spot in the cookbook, especially when it’s something the whole family can enjoy. Another soup with meatballs we love to make is Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup.
Recipe Ingredients
- Frozen Meatballs: I like to use the Italian style mini meatballs for this recipe but you can choose any brand and flavor of your choice.
- Pasta: Ditalini pasta is the perfect type for a recipe like this. You won’t have to cook them beforehand as you’ll add them to the crockpot toward the end of cooking time.
- Tomato Sauce: Used to help create a rich tomato soup base.
- Beef Broth: Adds to the meaty flavor of the meatballs while enhancing the soup base as well.
- Fresh Vegetables: A can of fire roasted tomatoes gives the soup a little kick and chopped onion, celery, carrots, and spinach add heartiness.
- Seasonings: The only two seasonings you need are Italian seasoning and minced garlic.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add the meatballs, diced celery, diced carrots, chopped onions, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, and beef broth to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours or on LOW 6 hours.
Step Two – 15-30 minutes prior to serving add small pasta to the crockpot. Cover and continue cooking until the pasta reaches your desired tenderness.
Step Three – Just before serving, stir in the fresh spinach until it is wilted. This will only take minutes.
Step Four – After the soup ingredients have been combined well, serve and enjoy!
How to serve:
- Serve a nice helping of this soup in a large bowl topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes (for a little kick), and fresh parsley.
- You can also turn it into a soup and salad meal by serving it alongside a small garden salad with your favorite dressing.
- This meatball soup also tastes great with a variety of breads such as garlic sticks or French bread.
Recipe FAQs and Variations
If the soup needs to be thinned after cooking the ditalini pasta, add additional broth or water.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can substitute any small pasta for the ditalini pasta.
Beef meatballs, turkey meatballs, or a combination of ground turkey, beef, and pork would all taste great in this recipe.
Yes. Vegetable broth, tomato broth, or chicken broth can all be used as replacements. And if you need a lower sodium count then you can go with low sodium beef broth.
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Slow Cooker Meatball Soup
Ingredients
- 20 oz. frozen Italian style meatballs, bite sized
- 2 ribs celery, sliced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 30 oz. fire roasted tomatoes
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 ½ Cups ditalini pasta, (uncooked)
- 2 cups fresh spinach
Instructions
- Add meatballs, celery, carrots, onions, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, and beef broth to the slow cooker
- Cover and cook on high 4 hours or on low 6 hours.
- 15-30 minutes prior to serving add ditalini pasta to crockpot.
- Cover and cook until pasta is desired tenderness.
- Just before serving stir in fresh spinach until it is wilted. (1-2 minutes)
Sarah’s Notes
- If the soup needs to be thinned after cooking the ditalini pasta, add additional broth or water.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can substitute any small pasta for the ditalini pasta.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Can this be frozen AFTER it’s cooked? I can’t eat this much soup by myself in 3 days.
Yes, this type of soup recipe is perfect for freezing.
Thank you!
Made it today. Turned out pretty good. I used kale rather than the spinach.
Could you possibly tell me how to make this as a freezer meal? My sister had a stroke and I like to make her meals that she just has to thaw from the freezer and toss into the slow cooker. Would the recipe work if all the ingredients were put into the ziplock bag, then upon being thawed from the freezer placed into the slow cooker? How long would you recommend it be cooked?
You can freeze everything except the pasta, have her add that towards the end. Same cooking time.
Do you have any recommendations for replacing the pasta with brown rice? Thank you.
You can add cooked brown rice or use minute brown rice at the last 45 minutes of cooking time.