Description
A hearty and comforting meatball soup featuring tender homemade or frozen meatballs simmered in a flavorful tomato broth with rotini pasta, baby spinach, and a touch of creamy heavy cream. This easy, one-pot recipe is perfect for a cozy family dinner and comes together in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 recipe of homemade meatballs or 18-20 oz. bag frozen meatballs, thawed
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 32 oz. chicken broth
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 8 oz. uncooked rotini pasta (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Garnish
- Shaved Parmesan cheese
- Freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: Make your preferred homemade Italian meatballs, air fryer meatballs, or thaw and cook an 18-20 oz. bag of frozen meatballs according to package instructions. Set aside.
- Sauté Onions: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion along with a couple large pinches of kosher salt and cracked pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for 6-8 minutes, allowing the onions to soften and start to brown and caramelize.
- Add Aromatics: Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, tomato paste, and another couple of large pinches of salt and pepper. Cook while stirring frequently for about 1 minute to release the flavors.
- Deglaze Pot: Pour in a few splashes of chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the rest of the chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, uncooked rotini pasta, and cooked meatballs along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer gently for 12-15 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked al dente.
- Finish Soup: Stir in baby spinach and heavy cream until the spinach wilts and the soup is heated through.
- Season and Garnish: Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup garnished with shaved Parmesan and freshly chopped parsley.
- Enjoy: Serve hot and enjoy this comforting meatball soup with your loved ones!
Notes
- You can use homemade meatballs or frozen pre-cooked meatballs for convenience.
- Adjust the seasoning gradually, especially salt, to your preference.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce the amount of chicken broth slightly.
- The spinach adds freshness but can be substituted with kale or other greens.
- This soup reheats well and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
