Ahh, Meatball Tortellini Soup 🍝🥩—a hearty, comforting soup that combines tender meatballs, cheesy tortellini, and flavorful broth. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or cozy meal.
Meatball Tortellini Soup
Servings: 4–6
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25–30 min
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or mix beef & pork)
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper, to taste
For the soup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes (optional)
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale
- Optional: grated Parmesan and fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Make the meatballs
- In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Form into small 1-inch meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Brown meatballs on all sides (they don’t need to be fully cooked, as they’ll finish cooking in the soup). Remove and set aside.
- Sauté vegetables
- In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5–7 min until softened.
- Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Add broth & herbs
- Pour in broth and diced tomatoes (if using).
- Add Italian herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook meatballs in soup
- Gently add meatballs back to the pot.
- Simmer 10–12 min until meatballs are cooked through.
- Add tortellini & greens
- Stir in tortellini and cook according to package instructions (usually 2–5 min).
- Add spinach or kale in the last 2 minutes of cooking until wilted.
- Serve
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with Parmesan and fresh parsley.
🔥 Pro Tips
- Make-ahead: Meatballs can be prepared in advance and frozen; add frozen meatballs directly to simmering soup.
- Richer flavor: Add a splash of cream for a creamy variation.
- Extra vegetables: Zucchini, green beans, or bell peppers work well.
- Quick shortcut: Use store-bought cooked meatballs to save 10–15 minutes.
I can also give a slow cooker version that lets the meatballs cook in the broth all day, making the tortellini ultra-tender and the flavors melded.
Do you want the slow cooker version?
