Meatball Soup with Cheese Tortellini

A perfect weeknight dinner! This Italian Meatball Soup recipe is full of tender, plump tortellini, mini meatballs and flavorful Parmesan cheese in a zesty tomato broth. Just add a side of garlic bread for a simple and cozy meal that comes together in about 30 minutes!

Mini Meatball Soup

You can't beat a cozy, comforting meal on a chilly evening, and this quick and easy mini meatball soup is definitely a family favorite. It's rich, hearty and full of Italian flavor. Best of all, there are a few simple shortcuts (like refrigerated cheese tortellini and frozen mini meatballs) that help get this dinner on the table in about 30 minutes, with almost no prep work!

While I'm calling this a meatball tortellini soup, I'd actually say that it's more like a meatball stew. It's thick, satisfying, and full of pasta and meatballs (without much broth). The sauce tastes rich and homemade, as though it's been simmering on the stovetop all day in an Italian grandmother's kitchen. When you serve the bowls and grate some fresh Parmesan over the top, nobody needs to know that that this dinner was an afterthought at the end of an otherwise very busy day!

Ingredients

Here's a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need to make a shortcut frozen meatball soup. As always, the full set of measurements and the specific instructions are included in the recipe box at the bottom of this post.

• Olive oil: for sautéing the garlic and onion.
• Onion and garlic: add flavor to the soup.
• Petite diced tomatoes: make sure to pick up the big 28-ounce can.
• Tomato sauce: the larger 15-ounce size is what you'll need here.
• Italian seasoning: a blend of classic Italian herbs such as thyme, basil and oregano.
• Beef broth: use 4 cups for a thick stew-like consistency, or add more to thin the soup to your desired taste.
• Frozen Italian mini meatballs: fully-cooked, frozen, thawed meatballs are a great shortcut that you can toss directly into the soup. I like the mini size, which are easy to scoop up with a spoon. You can substitute with larger meatballs, or you can make your own mini meatballs from scratch with this recipe.
• Fresh cheese tortellini: make sure to use refrigerated fresh tortellini, which cooks quickly in about 5-7 minutes. If you need to sub with dry tortellini or frozen tortellini, just adjust the simmering time according to the package instructions. You may need to add more broth when using dry tortellini, since the dry pasta will absorb a little bit more liquid.
• Parmesan cheese: I prefer to use a block of Parmesan that I grate by hand, since this melts smoother into the soup. In a pinch, a can of the pre-grated cheese will also work!
• Salt and pepper: just enough to suit your taste.
• Fresh basil or parsley: a bright garnish that adds a nice, fresh touch to the hearty soup.

How to Make Easy Meatball Soup

Thanks to frozen meatballs and quick-cooking refrigerated tortellini, this soup comes together in about 30 minutes!

1. Soften onion and garlic in olive oil
2. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, beef broth and thawed meatballs.
3. Boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Add the tortellini and cook just until the pasta is tender, about 5-7 minutes.
5. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, then taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
6. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh herbs and extra cheese, then serve!

What to Serve with Italian Meatball Soup

Garnish the bowls of soup with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or fresh herbs. Serve with a side of crusty baguette, no-knead bread, or garlic bread. A bowl of soup is also delicious with a crisp green salad dressed in Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette or a homemade Caesar salad.

Make Ahead Meatball Tortellini Soup

To prepare this soup in advance, follow the recipe instructions through Step 2, simmering the meatballs in the broth for 20 minutes. Do not add the tortellini or Parmesan. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, pack in airtight containers, and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, bring the soup to a simmer on the stovetop. Add the tortellini and cook just until tender. Stir in the Parmesan and serve!

Storage

Leftover soup will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months; however, cooked pasta never keeps very well in soup for a long period of time (since it swells and becomes sticky or mushy). If you're prepping in advance, follow the make-ahead instructions above and wait to add the tortellini until you're ready to serve.

Tips for the Best Meatball Soup Recipe

• This soup has a very thick consistency -- almost like a stew. Feel free to stir in extra broth at the end to thin the soup, if desired.
• If you prefer made-from-scratch mini meatballs in your soup, follow these recipe instructions. You can use ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, ground turkey or ground sausage to make the meatballs.
• Frozen Italian mini meatballs work best in this soup, since the smaller meatballs are a nice size for scooping up with a spoon.
• I prefer the quick-cooking, fresh taste of refrigerated cheese tortellini. If you would like to substitute with dry tortellini or frozen tortellini, just adjust the cooking time according to the package instructions on your specific product. You may also need to add more broth to the pot, since dry pasta tends to absorb more liquid than fresh pasta while it cooks.
• Cooking Just for Two? Prepare a smaller batch of soup by cutting all of the ingredients in half. For instance, use a 15-ounce can of petite diced tomatoes, an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce, a 2-cup can of broth, fewer meatballs, and a small package of tortellini (rather than the 20-ounce "Family Size" called for in the full recipe).

More Soup Recipes to Try

• 30-Minute Tomato and Basil Soup
• Italian Wedding Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Pasta Fagioli Soup
• Chicken Tortellini Soup
• Tuscan White Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale
• Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat)

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5 from 8 votes

Meatball Soup with Cheese Tortellini

A perfect weeknight dinner! This Italian Meatball Soup recipe is full of tender, plump tortellini, mini meatballs and flavorful Parmesan cheese in a zesty tomato broth.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword italian meatball soup, Meatball Soup, Tortellini Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 9 cups

Calories 448kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (28 oz) can petite diced tomatoes (not drained)
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 4 cups beef broth (or more to thin the soup if desired)
• 1 (20 oz) package frozen Italian mini meatballs, thawed
• 20 ounces fresh refrigerated cheese tortellini pasta
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus additional for garnish
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

• In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until starting to soften, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute.
• Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, beef broth, and meatballs. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer (uncovered) for 20 minutes.
• Add tortellini and cook just until tender, about 5-7 more minutes.
• Stir in Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Serve soup immediately, and garnish with additional cheese and fresh herbs.

Notes

• This soup has a very thick consistency -- almost like a stew. Feel free to stir in extra broth at the end to thin the soup, if desired.
• If you prefer made-from-scratch mini meatballs in your soup, follow these recipe instructions. You can use ground beef, ground chicken, ground pork, ground turkey or ground sausage to make the meatballs.
• Frozen Italian mini meatballs work best in this soup, since the meatballs are a nice size for scooping up with a spoon.
• I prefer the quick-cooking, fresh taste of refrigerated cheese tortellini. If you would like to substitute with dry tortellini or frozen tortellini, just adjust the cooking time according to the package instructions on your specific product. You may also need to add more broth to the pot, since dry pasta tends to absorb more liquid than fresh pasta while it cooks.
• Cooking Just for Two? Prepare a smaller batch of soup by cutting all of the ingredients in half. For instance, use a 15-ounce can of petite diced tomatoes, an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce, a 2-cup can of broth, fewer meatballs, and a small package of tortellini (rather than the 20-ounce "Family Size" called for in the full recipe).

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1155mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 452IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 4mg

This post was originally published in February, 2017. It was updated in January, 2021.