Description
Italian Meatball Soup is a comforting and hearty dish featuring tender homemade meatballs simmered in a rich tomato-based broth with spaghetti, infused with Italian herbs and garlic. This soup combines the flavors of traditional Italian meatballs with the warmth of a delicious, filling soup perfect for family meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lightly packed cup sliced white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces, crusts removed
- 1/2 cup grated onion (brown, white, or yellow)
- 14 oz / 400 g ground beef
- 3 oz / 100 g ground pork (or more ground beef)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Soup
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped (white, brown, or yellow)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth / stock (or water)
- 1 cup water
- 24 oz / 700 g passata (pureed tomato)
- 28 oz / 800 g canned tomato
- 1 tbsp Italian mixed herbs
- 2 tsp garlic powder (or onion powder)
- 1 – 2 tsp red pepper / chili flakes (optional)
- 8 oz / 250 g dried spaghetti
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the bread and onion: Place the torn bread pieces and grated onion in a large bowl. Mix to combine so the onion juice soaks into the bread, creating a moist base for the meatballs.
- Mix meatball ingredients: Add ground beef, ground pork, egg, chopped parsley, minced garlic, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, and black pepper to the soaked bread mixture. Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly until well combined.
- Form meatballs: Roll heaping tablespoons of the mixture into balls, aiming for about 24 meatballs. Place them on a plate and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up before cooking.
- Brown the meatballs: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and brown them all over, working in batches if necessary. They should still be raw inside. Remove browned meatballs and set aside.
- Sauté onion and garlic: If the pot looks dry, add a touch more olive oil. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add broth and deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen and dissolve the browned bits, adding extra flavor to the soup.
- Add remaining soup ingredients: Stir in water, passata, canned tomatoes, Italian mixed herbs, garlic powder, and optional red pepper flakes. Bring back to a simmer, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the pot.
- Cook the spaghetti and meatballs: Remove the lid and add the dried spaghetti. Use tongs to submerge the pasta under the liquid as it softens. Once submerged, add the meatballs back into the pot. Cook for about 12 minutes until the spaghetti is al dente and meatballs are cooked through. Remove from heat.
- Melt cheese (optional): Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the soup surface, cover with the lid, and let the residual heat melt the cheese for about 2 minutes.
- Serve: Ladle the soup with spaghetti and meatballs into bowls. Garnish with fresh torn basil leaves and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on the side for extra flavor.
Notes
- Note 1: Use fresh, soft white sandwich bread without crusts to keep meatballs tender.
- Note 2: Ground pork adds extra flavor and moisture, but can be substituted with more ground beef if preferred.
- Note 3: Fresh parsley brightens the meatball mix; finely chop for best texture.
- Note 4: Passata is pureed tomato that gives a smooth base for the soup; canned tomatoes add texture.
- Note 5: Italian mixed herbs generally include basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
- Note 6: Rolling meatballs to uniform size ensures even cooking.
- Note 7: Chilling meatballs helps them hold their shape when browned.
