Rustic Italian Meatball and Potato Soup

A deliciously satisfying and hearty fall-soup, loaded with Italian meatballs, root vegetables, parmesan cheese and potatoes.

This Italian Meatball Soup is loaded with vegetables and homemade beef meatballs in a savory Italian broth. With this recipe I combined two of my favorites: beef vegetable soup and meatballs. It’s a hearty, filling soup that’s perfect for this time of year.

I added potatoes to this soup instead of pasta. Potatoes are a good substitute for pasta because of their health benefits. They are loaded with fiber, protein and vitamin C, and they even have as much potassium as a banana!

As for the homemade meatballs, they are cheesy and tender. Sauté them in a hot pan for only a couple of minutes on each side to get a nice crust and tons of flavor. They finish cooking in the soup which makes them tender and also flavors the broth. Best of all everything is made in one pot. I brown my meatballs, take them out of the pan and sauté my veggies. Beef broth and diced tomatoes get added in and brought to a simmer. Let the soup cook for 30 minutes and add in the meatballs. Allow them to cook for an additional 10-20 minutes or until cooked all the way through. Serve this soup with fresh basil and parmesan cheese. I also recommend a side of garlic bread for soaking up the broth!

How to Make Rustic Italian Meatball and Potato Soup

1. Prepare the Meatballs:

• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, and Italian seasoning.
• Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined.
• Form the mixture into small to medium-sized meatballs and set them aside.

2. Sear the Meatballs:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
• Working in batches if necessary, add the meatballs to the pot, making sure not to overcrowd them.
• Sear the meatballs on each side for 3-4 minutes, turning to brown them evenly.
• Remove the meatballs from the pot and set them aside on a plate.

3. Sauté the Vegetables:

• In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes.
• Sauté the vegetables over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften.
• If needed, add a little more oil to the pot.
• Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

4. Build the Soup Base:

• Stir in the beef broth, fire-roasted tomatoes (including the juices), Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

5. Simmer:

• Once the soup reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Check the vegetables for tenderness and make sure the flavors are well combined.

6. Add the Meatballs Back:

• After the initial simmer, return the seared meatballs to the soup.
• Cook for another 15 minutes, allowing the meatballs to fully cook through and the potatoes to become tender.

7. Final Seasoning:

• Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Remove the bay leaves before serving.

8. Serve:

• Serve the soup hot, topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a few leaves of basil if desired.

Recipe Notes:

• Make-Ahead Option: You can prepare the meatballs ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.
• Meat Variations: Substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
• Broth Substitution: If you prefer a lighter broth, use chicken broth instead of beef broth.
• Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: If fire-roasted tomatoes are unavailable, use regular canned tomatoes, but the fire-roasted variety adds a great depth of flavor.

Rustic Italian Meatball and Potato Soup

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5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Kelley Simmons
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

A deliciously satisfying and hearty fall-soup, loaded with Italian meatballs, root vegetables, parmesan cheese and potatoes.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 pound lean ground beef (450g)

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (60g)

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (25g)

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (5g)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (15ml)

1 onion, diced

3 medium carrots, diced

3 stalks of celery, diced

2 cups potatoes, diced (300g)

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups beef broth (1.4 liters)

1 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained (425g)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (5g)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (5ml)

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese for serving (if desired)

Basil for serving (if desired)

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Instructions

1. Prepare the Meatballs:

• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, and Italian seasoning.
• Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined.
• Form the mixture into small to medium-sized meatballs and set them aside.

2. Sear the Meatballs:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
• Working in batches if necessary, add the meatballs to the pot, making sure not to overcrowd them.
• Sear the meatballs on each side for 3-4 minutes, turning to brown them evenly.
• Remove the meatballs from the pot and set them aside on a plate.

3. Sauté the Vegetables:

• In the same pot, add the onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes.
• Sauté the vegetables over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften.
• If needed, add a little more oil to the pot.
• Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

4. Build the Soup Base:

• Stir in the beef broth, fire-roasted tomatoes (including the juices), Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

5. Simmer:

• Once the soup reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Check the vegetables for tenderness and make sure the flavors are well combined.

6. Add the Meatballs Back:

• After the initial simmer, return the seared meatballs to the soup.
• Cook for another 15 minutes, allowing the meatballs to fully cook through and the potatoes to become tender.

7. Final Seasoning:

• Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as needed.
• Remove the bay leaves before serving.

8. Serve:

• Serve the soup hot, topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a few leaves of basil if desired.

Notes

Make-Ahead Option: You can prepare the meatballs ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.

Meat Variations: Substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.

Broth Substitution: If you prefer a lighter broth, use chicken broth instead of beef broth.

Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: If fire-roasted tomatoes are unavailable, use regular canned tomatoes, but the fire-roasted variety adds a great depth of flavor.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Main
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Italian-Inspired

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 cups
• Calories: 350
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 780mg
• Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 24g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 22g
• Cholesterol: 75mg