Description
This Slow Cooker Meatball Soup is rich, creamy, and packed with tender Italian-style meatballs, pasta, tomatoes, baby spinach, and Parmesan cheese. The slow cooker does most of the work, making this cozy soup an easy family dinner for busy weeknights or chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 20 ounces frozen Italian-style meatballs
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- 16 ounces dry ditalini pasta
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
Instructions
- Add the frozen meatballs, diced onion, garlic, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, black pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, and thyme to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours or LOW for 6–8 hours.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and heavy cream together until completely smooth and no lumps remain.
- Pour the cream mixture into the slow cooker and stir well.
- Add the dry ditalini pasta, Parmesan cheese, and baby spinach. Stir to combine.
- Cover and continue cooking for 15–30 minutes, or until the pasta reaches your desired tenderness.
- Stir the soup well before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired
Notes
- Frozen Italian-style meatballs can be added directly to the slow cooker; follow the meatball package guidance and cook until fully heated through.
- Pasta can soften quickly in a slow cooker, so begin checking it after about 15 minutes.
- Freshly shredded Parmesan melts especially well into the creamy broth.
- For a thinner soup, stir in additional warm chicken broth before serving.
- The pasta will continue absorbing broth as leftovers sit. Add a splash of broth when reheating if necessary.
- If preparing the soup ahead of time, consider cooking the pasta separately and adding it to individual servings to help prevent overly soft pasta.
- Taste before adding extra salt because the meatballs, chicken broth, and Parmesan can already contribute plenty of sodium.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 690 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 19 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg