This hearty and easy meatball soup, made with frozen precooked meatballs, is the ultimate weeknight dinner! Packed with 30 grams of protein per bowl, it’s a comforting and satisfying way to stay warm and full.
This recipe is just so delicious, and I can’t wait for you to try it! It came about because a client of mine shared a meatball soup recipe that she had prepped over the weekend, which sounded delicious. But, ironically, it’s too complicated for me. Even though I’m the Dietitian, our life stages are different. I’m in the thick of it with little kids six and under. The weeknights are crazy, leaving not a lot of time to cook, and the weekends, well, there is no way we can spend hours meal prepping anymore. In fact, nowadays, we do no dedicated meal prep. Instead, I lean on easy meals.
So this recipe was born out of me wanting meatball soup but not being able to put a lot of effort into it. I essentially made my version with the least amount of effort possible, and it turned out to be delicious! I’ve tested it a few times now, and major changes really only included adding more meatballs because the first time was too light on the meatball front. Mr. Hungry and I love this recipe so much that I know it won’t be the last time we make it. It’s definitely a bit colder here in Dallas than it ever was in Phoenix. Mr. Hungry and I are born and raised desert rats, so the adjustment period will probably be a bit shocking, but in the meantime, I’m leaning toward eating soup for more than just two weeks of the entire year and enjoying the leaves change (first time I’ve lived somewhere where the leaves change colors!)
How to Make Slow Cooker Meatball Soup with Frozen Meatballs
In general, this is a set-it-and-forget-it recipe with just a couple of notes for you. For example, I was lazy and did not saute my onions and garlic before adding them to the slow cooker. At the end of 3-4 hours on high, they had a tender crunch on them, so they weren’t completely soft. We liked it, but you may want to quickly saute them real fast.
You’ll want to plan to add the pasta about 15 minutes before serving and the spinach right before serving. This prevents the pasta and greens from getting overcooked.
This recipe is otherwise pretty straightforward forward, but make sure to check out the next section for swaps and substitutions for more tips!
Ingredient Swaps and Substations for Slow-Cooker Meatball Soup
This recipe is gluten and dairy-free (without the parmesan garnish), but make sure to read through the list below, as it may answer substitution questions. I will say that omitting ingredients in this recipe isn’t recommended because you might not end up with much except broth and meatballs. This recipe is really the bare minimum of ingredients to make something delicious, but omitting anything may leave it lacking flavor and volume.
- Yellow Onion – White onion or sweet onion will work. A red onion can be used, but it will change the flavor a bit. I would not omit it as there aren’t a lot of other veggies to carry this recipe. Feel free to use prechopped frozen onions, though!
- Garlic, minced – optional, but recommended
- Italian Seasoning – you could sub for parsley, basil, and oregano. I love a good Italian blend, though; it makes things easier and tastes authentic!
- Frozen Meatballs (precooked) – This recipe is ONLY safe with precooked frozen meatballs. Raw frozen meatballs can not be used as they won’t pass through the temperature danger zone fast enough to be safe. You can use precooked frozen turkey or chicken meatballs in this recipe as well!
- Canned Diced Tomatoes – do not omit
- Chicken Broth – You can use veggie or beef broth as well; beef broth will really change the flavor, but it is likely delicious.
- Water (Not Pictured) – do not omit or substitute
- Chickpea Pasta – any pasta you want will work here. We love high-protein pasta, but admittedly, they do have its drawbacks. They don’t hold together long, especially for leftovers. That doesn’t really bother me, though, but you can use whatever pasta you want!
- Spinach – any leafy green will work here, like collards or kale, but I think spinach has the best flavor in this dish!
How to Store and Freeze Meatball Soup:
Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before storing it. Transfer the soup to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave. Add a splash of broth or water if the soup has thickened.
To Freeze Slow Cooker Meatball Soup:
I don’t recommend freezing this soup. While it may be technically safe to freeze and reheat cooked food multiple times, that doesn’t mean you should. My general rule is that once a food is frozen, that’s it. Since we used pre-cooked frozen meatballs (i.e., food that has been cooked and then frozen), the meatballs have already been frozen once. It’s not ideal to pop them in the freezer again, tempting food safety, texture, and quality fates. Not to mention, the pasta probably won’t hold up in the freezer anyway. So, again, I’d skip freezing this one.
You May Also Like:
- Slow Cooker Turkey Meatballs
- Italian Sausage Tortelli Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Hamburger Soup
Slow Cooker Meatball Soup
Equipment
- Ladal
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen meatballs precooked ONLY
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans canned diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 4 cups water
- 1 tbsp italian seasonings
- 8 ounces chickpea pasta
- 3-4 cups spinach
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan optional garnish
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley and/or basil optional garnish
Instructions
- Optional Step 1: Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. I did not do this and the onions came out tender with a bit of a crunch. We liked it, but if that will bother you then saute them first!1 yellow onion, chopped, 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Combine Ingredients:Add all ingredients (except pasta and greens) to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.32 ounces frozen meatballs, 2 cans canned diced tomatoes, 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 4 cups water, 1 tbsp italian seasonings
- Add Pasta: About 15-20 minutes before serving, stir in the pasta. Cook until the pasta is tender.8 ounces chickpea pasta
- Add Greens: Right before you are ready to serve turn off the slow cooker and add the greens.3-4 cups spinach
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, garnish as desired, and serve warm with crusty sourdough bread.1/4 cup grated parmesan, 1/4 cup fresh parsley and/or basil
Notes
Nutrition
loved it!
Yum! And so easy too! Love slow cooker meals!