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    Home » Soups » Hearty Meatball Soup

    Hearty Meatball Soup

    Last updated October 3, 2022. Originally posted October 3, 2022 By Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves. 12 Comments.

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    Our family loves this hearty meatball soup for its simplicity and satisfaction. The tender meatballs are paired with just enough tiny pasta in a lemony bright broth. The delicious soup is comforting, cozy, made in one pot, and ready in 30 minutes.

    If you love this hearty meatball soup, you will also love this lentil sausage soup, a red bean soup with greens or a classic Greek lemon chicken soup!

    A bowl of meatball soup with some herbs and a spoon. Above it a loaf of bread and some lemon wedges.

    Why this recipe sings

    This cozy meatball soup is a one-pot, 30-minute crowd-pleaser. The meatballs stay moist by simmering in broth, packed with flavor from onion, garlic, fresh herbs, sourdough breadcrumbs, and grated parmesan cheese. Its delicious broth is finished with lemon juice and zest for tangy brightness. Tiny pasta makes the whole dish hearty and satisfying, perfect for a fall dinner.

    Here is what you need

    Alll the ingredients to make soup with meatballs on a butcher Blok.
    • Ground beef and pork. Alternatively, you can use ground turkey. You might need to adjust the amount of breadcrumbs and parmesan to make the meatballs hold their shape better. It helps to refrigerate meatballs for 30 minutes before browning.
    • Eggs. Just two are enough to help the texture of the meatballs.
    • Parmesan. The grated cheese goes into the meatball mix as well as the broth.
    • Sourdough breadcrumbs. I usually make my own in my food processor from leftover sourdough bread. I don't over-process them; I like a chunkier breadcrumb. Feel free to use store-bought if you prefer. Avoid preseasoned breadcrumbs. They have too much salt.
    • Onions and garlic. One onion and the garlic go finely diced into the meatball mixture, and the other is diced and goes into the soup broth.
    • Fresh herbs. I love spearmint, parsley and basil.
    • Chicken stock. A veggie broth will also work. You can also use bullion cubes with water.
    • Soup pasta. I use small Greek hilopites, a flat square pasta. Feel free to use the pasta shape of your choice. Adjust cooking time according to instructions.
    • Lemons. For their juice and zest. Also used for serving.
    • Seasonings and healthy fat. Extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, freshly ground pepper, and cumin.

    How to make it

    Herbs, onion and garlic in a food processor.
    Add the fresh basil, spearmint, parsley, garlic onion, and half of the olive oil to a food processor.
    Alternatively, you can fine-dice everything and mix it with half of the olive oil.
    Chopped herbs and onion in a food processor.
    Pulse until everything is finely chopped.
    Herbs, ground meat, eggs breadcrumbs and spices in a bowl.
    Add the ground meat, half of the grated parmesan, breadcrumbs, the herb, garlic, and onion mix, and season with cumin, dried oregano, red pepper flakes and sea salt.
    Meatball mixture in a bowl.
    Gently combine without squeezing too hard or overworking the meat. 
    Shaped meatballs on large plates on a butcher block.

    Shape the meat into small balls, about 1½ inches. 

    Six metaballs browning in a large dutch oven.
    Heat the remaining oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium heat. Add five six meatballs and brown them on all sides 2-3 minutes. Remove and transfer to a plate. Repeat the process until all meatballs are browned. 
    Diced onion sautéing in a dutch oven.
    Add the diced onion, season with salt, and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot for the precious meatball fond.* 
    * The brown particles found at the bottom of pans after browning meat or vegetables are known as fond.
    Soup broth and meatballs in a large dutch oven pot.
    Add the meatballs back into the pot and pour the broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer. Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked, about eight to ten minutes.
    Small square pasta and grated parmesan  with broth in a large stockpot.
    Stir in the grated parmesan and the pasta. Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked, about three to four minutes more.*
    Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Check the seasoning and add more sea salt if desired.
    *Adjust cooking time to fit the soup pasta of your choosing.
    Five meatballs and soup in a white soup bowl with herbs and a spoon.

    Spoon into bowls, and top with fresh herbs and red pepper flakes. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

    Soups and stews for fall

    • bowl of lentil soup and a spoon.
      Greek Lentil Soup - Fakes
    • A bowl with fasolada-greek white bean soup.
      Fasolada - Greek White Bean Soup
    • A white dutch oven with beef stew and a serving spoon on a cloth napkin.
      Stifado - Greek Red Wine Beef Stew
    • A plate with lamb stew avgolemono.
      Greek Lamb Stew Avgolemono

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    • A plate with two stuffed eggplants and some herbs.
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      Lentils With Rice - Moudjentra
    • A bowl with taramasalata in the center. Around it pieces of bread, a lemon cut in half, a bowl of olives and two spoons.
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    Check out my Greek pantry staples 

    Cooked this? Rate this recipe! You can also leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!

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    A bowl with meatball soup and a spoon.

    Hearty Meatball Soup

    by Jenny | The Greek Foodie
    This hearty soup has tender meatballs and small pasta in a lemony bright broth. It is comforting, cozy, made in one pot, and ready in 30 minutes.
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Recipe
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine Greek, International
    Servings 8
    Calories 789 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1.2 lbs ground beef 550 grams
    • 1.2 lbs ground pork 550 grams
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 cup grated parmesan
    • 1 cup breadcrumbs
    • 2 onions
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • ½ cup parsley
    • ½ cup basil leaves
    • ½ cup spearmint
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 8 cups chicken stock
    • 1 cup soup pasta
    • 3 lemons two juiced and zested and one cut into wedges for serving
    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • sea salt
    • freshly ground pepper
    • dried oregano
    • red pepper flakes

    Instructions
     

    • Add the fresh basil, spearmint, parsley, garlic, one onion, and half of the olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until everything is finely chopped.
    • In a medium bowl, add the ground meat, ½ cup grated parmesan, breadcrumbs, herb, garlic, onion mix, cumin, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and two teaspoons of sea salt. Gently combine without squeezing too hard or overworking the meat.
      Lightly wet your palms and shape the meat into small balls, about 1½ inches.
    • Heat the remaining oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium until shimmering. Add three or four meatballs and brown them on all sides for two-three minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat the process until all meatballs are browned.
    • Add the other diced onion, season with salt, and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot for any meatball residue stuck on the bottom.
    • Add the meatballs and pour the broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer—season with sea salt to taste. Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked, about eight to ten minutes.
    • Stir in the grated parmesan and the pasta. Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until pasta is cooked.
      Follow the package instructions for pasta cooking time.
    • Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
      Spoon into bowls, and top with fresh herbs and red pepper flakes. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

    Notes

    • Ground beef and pork. You can also use ground turkey. Due to its higher moisture content you might need to add more breadcrumbs and parmesan in the meat mixture so to make the meatballs hold their shape better. It helps to refrigerate meatballs for 30 minutes before browning.
    • Parmesan. A good substitute is grated pecorino romano.
    • Sourdough breadcrumbs. I make my own in my food processor from leftover sourdough bread. I don't over-process them; I like a chunkier breadcrumb. Feel free to use store-bought if you prefer. Avoid preseasoned breadcrumbs. They have too much salt.
    • Fresh herbs. In lew of fresh herbs use their dried versions.
    • Soup pasta. Feel free to use the pasta shape of your choice. Adjust cooking time according to instructions.
     
     
     
    Nutritional Info – Please remember that the nutritional information provided is only estimated and can vary based on the products used.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 789kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 40gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 768mgPotassium: 899mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 713IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 216mgIron: 5mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thegreekfoodie__ or tag #thegreekfoodie__
    Hearty Meatball Soup
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    Hi there!

    I am Jenny, a Greek expat living in the greater New York City area. I like to say I am a beauty art director turned foodie, aka the Greek foodie. Born and raised in Greece, my fondness for good food goes hand in hand with my heritage. My absolute favorite thing to do is cook delicious food to enjoy with family and friends.... Find out more about me here…

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