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Meatball Soup

Meatball soup with ruby-red tomato broth and tender beef meatballs simmered until cooked through. Loaded with onion, carrots, and celery for a one-pot weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 0.33 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 clove garlic
Soup
  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cup beef broth
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the meatballs
  1. In a bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, and half the minced garlic, mixing until just combined.
  2. Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
Build the soup
  1. In a large Dutch oven, sauté onion, carrots, and celery over medium heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally (visual cue: vegetables look slightly translucent).
  2. Add the remaining garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant (visual cue: garlic smells toasty, not browned).
  3. Stir in crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and Italian seasoning, then bring the mixture to a simmer, about 8-10 minutes (visual cue: steady bubbling at the edges).
Simmer and finish
  1. Gently drop the meatballs into the simmering soup (visual cue: they float then settle slightly), then simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving (visual cue: broth tastes balanced).

Notes

Pro tip: once the meatballs go in, avoid vigorous stirring so they keep their shape. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freeze in portions for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef (or swap in ground turkey) to reduce overall fat while keeping the simmer time the same.