Description

Slow Cooker Meatball Soup is a hearty and comforting one-pot meal featuring Italian-style meatballs simmered in a creamy tomato broth with garlic, onions, aromatic Italian spices, ditalini pasta, fresh spinach, and Parmesan cheese. This easy and budget-friendly recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekend lunches, offering rich flavor with minimal hands-on time.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

20 ounces frozen Italian-style meatballs
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 teaspoons minced garlic
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
6 ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ cups heavy cream
16 ounces dry ditalini pasta
1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
4 cups fresh baby spinach

Instructions

Load Up the Crock Pot: In the slow cooker, stir together the frozen Italian-style meatballs, diced yellow onion, minced garlic, low-sodium chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, black pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, and dried thyme until well combined.
Cover and Cook: Place the lid on the crockpot and cook the soup on low heat for 3-4 hours, or on high heat for 6-8 hours, allowing flavors to meld and meatballs to heat through.
Add the Creamy Sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and heavy cream until smooth and lump-free, then pour this creamy mixture into the slow cooker to thicken the broth.
Finish the Soup: When there are about 30 minutes remaining, add the uncooked ditalini pasta, shredded Parmesan cheese, and fresh baby spinach to the slow cooker. Continue cooking for 15-30 minutes more, until the pasta is cooked to your liking and the spinach has wilted.
Serve: Stir the soup well before ladling into bowls and serving hot. Optionally garnish with extra Parmesan or fresh herbs for added flavor.

Notes

Time-Saving Tip: Use a food processor or small food chopper to quickly dice the onions.
Adjusting Soup Thickness: If the soup becomes too thick after adding pasta, stir in additional broth to reach desired consistency.
Storage & Reheating: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Avoid freezing to prevent pasta from becoming mushy. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in short intervals in the microwave.
Pasta Cooking Tip: Add pasta toward the end of cooking to avoid mushiness. Monitor the pasta doneness the first time you make this recipe to perfect cooking time.
Variations: Add extra vegetables like celery, carrots, mushrooms, or kale; substitute rice or brown rice for gluten-free options; or make meatballs from scratch for firmer texture.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Category: Soup
Method: Slow Cooking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: slow cooker meatball soup, Italian meatball soup, crock pot soup, easy meatball soup, creamy tomato soup, comfort food, weeknight dinner, one pot meal