Bolognese Inspired Meatball Soup

Think of this as Spaghetti and Meatballs meets Soup!

The best of the flavours that go into my Bolognese Sauce (it’s in my Book!) are the base for this soup.  Instead of using the meat in the saucy soup, it will be used as meatballs. These meatballs are my go-to meatballs from my Ultimate Cheesy Baked Meatballs recipe, a well-loved recipe.  And well, instead of spaghetti pasta, I’m using a pasta that will fit into a spoon just a little bit easier!

This easy to whip up Bolognese Inspired Meatball Soup is everything you want in a cozy soup that ticks all the boxes: pasta, meatballs, even some cheese.  It is easy on the budget, uses pantry staples, and makes great leftovers.  Kids of all ages will love this soup, Jim gives it two enthusiastic thumbs up!  It’s the meatballs!!

Ingredients

Soup

• Aromatics: Onion, carrot, celery, garlic.
• Seasonings: Chilli flakes, fennel seeds, thyme, basil, rosemary, parmesan rind (save them in a freezer bag in the freezer for times like this!), Worcestershire sauce
• Liquid: Crushed or puréed tomatoes, chicken or beef stock, tomato paste

Meatballs

• Meat: Italian sausage, ground beef.  Feel free to use chicken or turkey.
• Aromatics: Garlic
• Seasonings: Parsley, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper
• Binders: Bread crumbs, egg, milk

Making the Meatballs in advance, even on a meatball prep day and freezing them will make this soup even easier to make!

Method

Form the meatballs into 1 inch diameter meatballs.  Bake off in a 425F oven for 12 minutes, or until golden brown and a crust has developed.  They will still need cooking to finish up the interior, but will do this in the soup.

While the meatballs are cooking, you will start the soup by sautéing the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in a dutch oven or large pot.  Add in the seasonings and tomato paste.  Then you will add the liquids and bring it up to a boil.  Reduce to a gentle simmer and add the parmesan rind, it adds a lovely richness as it melts down.  You will want to cook the soup until the carrots and celery and softened and cooked through.

Add the meatballs after draining them from any fat that happened around them as they baked, and let them finish cooking in the simmering soup, this should take another 10 minutes or so.

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Pasta

I never cook pasta in a soup. I do this for the same reason I don’t add rice to a soup as it is cooking. Doing so will mean that any soup that doesn’t get eaten will get stored with pasta or rice in it.  This pasta or rice will continue to soak up the soup, softening to the point of not being fun to eat anymore.  Plus then the soup will thicken up, requiring additional liquid the next day when you go to re-heat it.

You will want to cook off the pasta in a separate pot once the meatballs go into the soup.  Ideal pasta choices are Ditalini, elbow macaroni, orzo, rigatoni, orrecchietti, or any smaller soup that will fit nicely into a spoon.  This is especially helpful for little ones eating this soup.

To Serve

Spoon some of the pasta into each soup bowl.  Ladle the soup over the pasta, and give it a quick stir to move the pasta throughout the soup.  Finish with grated mozzarella or parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley.  Have some crusty bread, focaccia, or even cheesy garlic bread, on the side for a fun meal.

Storing

Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for up to three days in the fridge.  Store the pasta in a separate container.  If when you go to re-heat the soup and there is just enough for one more meal, then once the soup is heated through, you can just add the pasta directly into the soup and give it a stir.  The heat will be enough to warm the pasta again.

This Bolognese Inspired Meatball Soup is a great contender for the freezer (again, without the pasta) for up to a month.  Just make sure you have let it cool down to room temperature before adding it to a freezer-safe container. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving the next day.

If you make this Bolognese Inspired Meatball Soup, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

Love Jen

Print

Bolognese Inspired Meatball Soup

All the flavours of a rich Italian Marinara sauce, the ultimate tender and flavourful meatballs, and pasta makes this a comfort soup that ticks all the boxes. Just add cheesy garlic bread!

Course Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword marinara sauce, meatballs

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan or grana padano cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 1 medium or 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp each kosher salt and cracked pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste, depending on how spicy your sausages are
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, don’t use old dried ones, better to tear bread into small pieces
• 2/3 to 1 cup milk
• olive oil

Soup

• 1 medium onion, diced small
• 1 large carrot, diced small
• 1 large or 2 medium celery stalks, diced small
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 28 oz jar or can (or 796 ml) crushed or puréed tomatoes, see Notes
• 4 cups beef or chicken stock
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, see Notes
• 1 parmesan rind, or 2 tbsp grated parmesan
• 6 oz dried small pasta like ditalini, elbow macaroni, orzo, etc
• fresh parsley for garnish
• fresh grated mozzarella for serving

Instructions

Meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 425F, and spread a small amount of oil on a baking sheet.
2. Combine the sausage and beef in a large bowl. Using only your fingers (remove any rings!), break up and mix sausage meat into the beef until gently combined (don’t overwork, or the meat will become tough when cooking them)
3. Add the grated cheese, parsley and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Better to add less and adjust later- you don't know how seasoned the sausages are. Add the beaten egg. Next add the breadcrumbs and mix till everything is just blended (don't over blend, and only use only your finger tips).
4. Add 2/3 cup of the milk, mix. Let sit for a minute to soak up the milk. Continue to add milk, 2 tbsp at a time, until the mixture has achieved the a sticky, moist consistency. The amount of milk you will need will depend on the breadcrumbs.
5. Break off a small piece, form it into a small patty about the size of a quarter and sauté it in lightly oiled sauté pan. Taste this. Adjust your seasonings to the rest in the bowl at this point if needed. This way you haven’t formed the meatballs in vain!
6. Using lightly oiled or wet hands, shape the mixture into 1 inch balls. You should get 24 balls or so.
7. Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake on the centre rack till browned, and a crust has started to form on the exterior. This should take around 12-15 minutes. Remove and drain off any excess fat that may have collected on the bottom of the meatballs.

Soup

1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté till just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook another minute.
2. Add in the chilli flakes, fennel seeds, thyme, basil, rosemary and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Stir to coat all the veggies. Add in the tomato paste and stir once more.
3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stock, along with the Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium low. Add in the parmesan rind; if you don't have a parmesan rind, then add the grated parmesan cheese at the end of cooking. Cover partially and simmer. Cook till the vegetables have softened and are just cooked through.
4. Add the baked meatballs, and let them simmer in the soup for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through.
5. While the meatballs are simmering in the soup, prepare the pasta, according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Serve

1. Divide the soup between six soup bowls. Ladle the soup over the pasta. Stir to blend. Garnish with fresh parsley and top with grated mozzarella cheese.

Storing Leftovers

1. Store the soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days. Store the pasta in a separate sealed container. When getting ready to eat again, heat the soup in a pot over medium low heat. Add in the pasta at the end to warm through.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to use a large jar of passata, or even whole tomatoes. Just crush up the tomatoes between your fingers before adding them and the juices from the jar to the pot.
Use any stock you like, although the beef stock will taste the most like a bolognese sauce.
The Worcestershire sauce can be replaced with a spoonful of Better than Beef Bouillon paste or cube, or even a splash of soy sauce if necessary.