Italian Meatball Tomato Soup

This Italian Meatball Soup with Tomatoes, Pesto and Parmesan is a great hearty comfort food dinner for cool nights. Juicy meatballs served up in a thick, pesto-kissed tomato soup - all made in one pot! 

Craving comfort food? Perfect, cause I've got the most hearty, delicious, make-you-feel-good- soup ever! A Tomato-based Italian Meatball Soup simmered with pesto and parmesan!

Ever since I know I'm going back to Europe in June for an entire month, I've been dreaming about Italy day in and day out.

Last January, I was on my own and only went to France – mostly Paris, plus a few days in Normandie. But this time, my boyfriend is coming with me and...we are going to Rome too! And that's making me ridiculously happy.

I have an inexplicable love for Italy in general and Rome in particular. I've always considered this city my second home – even if it would be more accurate to call it third home, now that I'm officially calling Australia home sweet home.

Anyway, the idea of walking down the streets of Rome eating gelato is enough to make me forget that it's been raining non-stop for a week here in Sydney. Ok and this Italian Meatball Soup you see right here has helped a lot too.

You see, this Italian Meatball Soup is very comforting. I mean, if there was such a thing as a 'comfort soup association', this hearty and warming tomato soup would be their favorite. I just know it.

Filthy weather? Comforting Italian Meatball Soup to the rescue! This creamy, fruity and savoury tomato soup is like Italy in a bowl. Tomatoes, parmesan, basil, pesto... No, really, soup doesn't get any better than that.

The ingredients for this Italian Meatball Soup are pretty basic and I’m sure you already have most of them in your kitchen. Once you’ve made the meatballs, which will take you 15 minutes, all you have to do is basically throw the ingredients in the pot, walk away and come back 30 minutes later to a delicious comforting Italian Meatball Soup.

Have I mentioned that my Italian Meatball Soup is not only easy to make but also healthy, gluten-free and primal!

If you tried this Italian Meatball Soup let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!

5 from 1 vote

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Italian Meatball Soup with Tomatoes, Pesto and Parmesan

This Italian Meatball Soup with Tomatoes, Pesto and Parmesan is a great hearty comfort food dinner for cool nights. Juicy meatballs served up in a thick, pesto-kissed tomato soup - all made in one pot! 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword comfort food, easy, Italian, meatballs, parmesan, soup, tomatoes

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 426 kcal

Ingredients

For the meatballs

• 1 lb / 500 g mix of ground veal and pork 50/50
• 2 eggs
• 1 large garlic clove or 2 small, minced
• ⅓ cup grated parmesan
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
• salt to taste

For the soup

• 2 tsp olive oil divided
• 1 large onion chopped
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups tomato sauce
• 1 14- oz / 400g can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 tbsp basil pesto
• additional grated parmesan for serving

Instructions

1. Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, add ground meat, eggs, garlic, parmesan, basil and salt. Using your hands, thoroughly mix all the ingredients until combined and well distributed. 

2. Form meatballs the size of one tablespoon. You should get about 20 meatballs. To avoid the mixture to be too sticky, keep your hands wet when shaping the meatballs.

3. Heat one teaspoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown half of the meatballs on each side and remove from the pot. Add another teaspoon of olive oil and repeat. You want to make sure your pot is not too crowded so you can easily flip the meatballs without destroying them.
4. In the same pot, add onion and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add spinach and cook just a few seconds until it starts to shrink.
5. Transfer the meatballs back to the pot and stir in stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Adjust seasoning.
6. Serve soup in bowls and add one tablespoon of pesto in each bowl. Top with additional parmesan.

Recipe Notes

You can use ground beef or turkey for the meatballs.

You can also add small pasta to the soup. If you do, add 1 cup to the pot 10 minutes (more or less according to package direction) before the soup finishes to cook.

This soup is even better the next day.

WW Old Points: 9 pts – Points+: 11 pts

Nutrition Facts

Italian Meatball Soup with Tomatoes, Pesto and Parmesan

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 426 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 118mg39%

Sodium 1250mg54%

Potassium 1147mg33%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 2655IU53%

Vitamin C 22.9mg28%

Calcium 171mg17%

Iron 4.1mg23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.