Hearty Turkey Meatball Soup

It’s no secret just how much I love a good meatball method, and this one is an oldie but a goodie. My Hearty Meatball Soup is packed with tender, Italian-style turkey meatballs simmered in a rich tomato-based broth and plenty of veggies and pasta to make it super filling and totally budget-friendly.

It’s an easy one-pot dinner the whole family will love! And like most of my recipes, this flavor-packed soup leans on pantry staples and freezer-friendly elements to keep things easy on the wallet.

“A friend of mine briefed me about your blog just of late, and I have been obsessed ever since! I made this soup for my husband’s birthday since he is a huge meatball fan, and I have already made it again a few days later!

Easy TURKEY Meatball Soup Recipe

Today’s recipe is brought to you by the word mirepoix (aka the classic combo of diced onion, carrot, and celery). I start nearly every soup this way, and once that trio is sizzling with a little garlic and olive oil, you’re already halfway to something delicious.

That’s exactly how this simple meatball soup begins. I stir in some beef broth, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, pasta, and a batch of my homemade turkey meatballs to create the easiest, most delicious alternative to your average meatballs and pasta dish. But if tomato-based soups aren’t your thing, I’ve shared a few variations below to mellow the taste or make a lighter broth that still pairs perfectly with the meatballs!

- I use my turkey meatballs in this recipe as they’re packed with seasonings, which infuse the broth with extra savor as they simmer. My homemade meatballs (made with beef and Italian sausage) work great here, too, but if you’re short on time, store-bought meatballs will still get the job done.

Go for frozen meatballs (they’re often the most cost-effective) and cook them following the package instructions before adding them to your soup. - When I first posted this recipe allll the way back in 2011, I only used half a batch of my turkey meatballs and 6 oz. of pasta. Since then, I’ve retested it using a full batch of meatballs and 8 oz. of pasta, which I much prefer!

It makes this hearty soup even heartier and provides a good amount of pasta and meatballs per serving. That stated, you can absolutely scale back the meatballs and pasta if you’re looking to save a few more dollars or prefer a brothier bowl.

Turkey Meatball Ingredients

- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs ($0.30) - 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan ($0.22)

- 2 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.20) - ¼ tsp garlic powder ($0.02)

- ½ tsp onion powder ($0.03) - ¼ tsp black pepper ($0.02)

- 1 lb. ground turkey ($4.99)

Soup Ingredients

- 3 large carrots (diced, $0.49) - 3 ribs celery (diced, $0.40)

- 1 yellow onion (diced $0.70) - 4 cloves garlic (minced, $0.16) - 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.22)

- 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, with juices ($1.63) - 1 28 oz. can tomato sauce ($1.63) - 4 cups beef broth ($0.52)

- 8 oz. dry pasta (see notes, $0.59) - 2 Tbsp fresh parsley ($0.35)

- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese ($3.69) - Start by making your meatballs by mixing together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.

Also, preheat your oven or air fryer to 400ºF. - In a separate mixing bowl, use your clean hands to combine the ground turkey, egg, and breadcrumb mixture until combined (don't overmix to avoid tough turkey meatballs!)

- Divide the meat mixture and shape it into 16 meatballs, using two tablespoons of the mix per meatball. I usually split the meat mixture in half, then divide it into quarters, and then split each quarter into four pieces to make it easier. - Now bake the shaped meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet in your preheated oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

You can as well air fry them at 400ºF for about 8 minutes until cooked through (cook in batches). Or, cook them in a skillet over medium heat (also in batches) with 1 Tbsp of olive oil for about 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked and browned all over. Once done, set them aside for now.

- Cook the diced carrots, celery, onion, and minced garlic in a large pot with olive oil over medium heat until softened (5-10 minutes). - Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water and beef bouillon to the pot.

Bring it up to a simmer then add the pasta and meatballs. Allow the pot to simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through.

- While the pot is simmering, rinse and chop half a bunch of parsley. Add the parsley to the pot after the pasta has fully cooked.

- Serve each bowl of soup with freshly grated parmesan on top. See how we calculate method costs here.

How to Make Hearty Meatball Soup Step-By-Step Photos

Gather all of your elements: If you haven’t already, cook your turkey meatballs before preparing the soup. Preheat your oven or air fryer to 400ºF (skip this if cookery the meatballs on the stove).

Add ½ cup breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp Parmesan, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to a mixing bowl and combine. Then, in a separate mixing bowl, combine 1 lb. ground turkey, 1 large egg, and breadcrumb mixture using clean hands.

Be very careful not to overmix the meat mixture, as this will make your meatballs tough and dense. Divide the mixture into 16 meatballs (2 tablespoons per meatball) and bake them in your preheated oven on a parchment-lined baking tray for 20 minutes.

You can in addition cook them in batches in the air fryer for 8 minutes or on the stovetop also in batches in a skillet over medium with 1 Tbsp of oil for 2-3 minutes on all sides. Make sure your meatballs are fully cooked all the way through, then set them aside.

Sauté the veggies: Add 3 large diced carrots, 2 ribs of diced celery, 1 diced yellow onion (your mirepoix), and 4 cloves of minced garlic to a large pot with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Cook the mirepoix over medium heat until the onions have softened. It’s okay if the celery and carrots are still a little company, they will continue to cook with the soup.

I in addition like the added texture they give the soup if they’re not cooked down to mush. Add the liquids: Add 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (with juices), 1 28 oz. can tomato sauce, and 4 cups beef broth to the pot with your veggies.

Add the meatballs and pasta: Bring the soup up to a simmer then add 8 oz. dry pasta and the full batch of turkey meatballs (about 16-18 meatballs). The meatballs will infuse savor into the pot as it simmers.

Bring everything back up to a simmer and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked. Finish: Add 2 Tbsp fresh parsley to the pot once the pasta is soft and cooked through. And then it’s pretty much done!

Serve up your homemade meatball soup and sprinkle a little grated Parmesan over each bowl. I used ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese in total.

You can actually go three different ways with the broth for this homemade meatball soup: - Make an ultra-thick, tomatoey, nearly sauce-like base (as I’ve done here).

- Create a soup-like broth by skipping the tomato sauce and using only diced tomatoes. I’d add an extra 2 cups of broth, adding more if needed, to make up for the missing tomato sauce. (A 28 oz. can of tomato sauce works out at about 3.5 cups, but it’s in addition very thick, which is why I’d only start with 2 cups of extra broth at first). - You can make a clear beef broth by skipping the canned tomatoes altogether and using extra beef broth (or bouillon and water).

I do this in my Italian wedding soup method, except I use chicken broth instead. Next time I make this soup, I’m going to try skipping the tomato sauce so that I can have a tomato and beef broth…and maybe add some kale.

Serving Suggestions

This soup is already a full meal on its own, but if I want to stretch the servings further, I’d add some warm garlic bread for dipping and a simple Caesar salad on the side.

It turns this hearty meatball soup into something that feels a little extra and complete!

Storage & Reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Just a heads up—the pasta will continue to soak up the broth and soften as it sits, so the texture may change a bit.

Reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a little extra broth if needed. You could in addition freeze it for up to 3 months, but the pasta can get mushy after freezing and thawing.

If that bothers you (but you still want to meal-prep this soup), you could leave the pasta out and cook it separately before serving. Add some pasta to each bowl and top with the reheated soup.