Meatball Soup

Meatball Soup

Recipe by Bell BrittanyCourse: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

This keto meatball soup is easy to prepare, hearty, and loaded with fresh veggies and flavor. Best of all, the meatballs can be made ahead of time and it freezes nicely.

Ingredients

• Meatballs:

• 2 Lb. Ground Beef

• 2 Handfuls Fresh Spinach

• 1 Small Onion

• 3 Cloves Garlic

• 3/4 tsp. Sea Salt

• 1/4 tsp. Ground Pepper

• 2 tsp. Italian Seasonings

• 2 Tbsp. Parsley

• 2 Tbsp Coconut Cream or Heavy Cream

• Soup:

• 1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil or oil of choice

• 1 Small Onion diced

• 2 Cloves Garlic minced

• 1 Medium Carrot Peeled and Diced

• 1 Stalk of Celery Chopped

• 2 tsp. Dried Basil

• 1 tsp. Oregano

• 3/4 tsp. Thyme

• 1 32 oz. Can of Diced Tomatoes

• 3 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

• 1 Bay Leaf

• 32- oz. Low Sodium Beef or Chicken Broth

• 1 Medium Zucchini – Chopped into Halves or Quarters

• 1 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar

• Salt to taste (at least 1/2 tsp.)

• Pepper to taste (at least 1/4 tsp.)

Directions

• For the meatballs:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9×11 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a food processor, add the spinach, garlic, and onion. Then process until everything is in very small pieces. Add the spinach/onion mixture to a large mixing bowl along with the ground beef, sea salt, pepper, Italian seasonings, parsley, and coconut cream or heavy cream. Mix well.
• Roll into meatballs and place into prepared baking dish.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until cooked through.
• For the soup:
• Add the oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven and heat over medium heat.
• Add the onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Saute until veggies are slightly soft, around 4 minutes.
• Add the basil, oregano, and thyme. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, chicken or beef broth, and zucchini.
• Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes.
• Add salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Taste soup, if it tastes flat, it needs more salt.
• Add the meatballs to the soup and serve!

Notes

Meatball Soup is a hearty, stovetop meal built around baked beef meatballs simmered in a vegetable-rich broth. The meatballs are made with ground beef, finely chopped spinach, onion, garlic, herbs, and a small amount of cream to keep them tender. Once baked, they’re added to a soup base made with onions, garlic, carrot, celery, tomatoes, broth, and zucchini, creating a balanced bowl that’s filling without being heavy.

This recipe works well because baking the meatballs separately helps them hold their shape and keeps excess fat out of the soup. Finely processing the spinach and onion allows them to blend evenly into the meat mixture without adding chunks or moisture pockets. Simmering the vegetables and herbs first builds depth in the broth, while adding the zucchini later prevents it from becoming too soft. A small splash of balsamic vinegar at the end helps round out the tomato flavor.

This soup fits easily into everyday home cooking and is especially practical for meal prep. The meatballs can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen. Leftovers store and reheat well, and the soup can be frozen for longer storage without affecting texture.