This easy vegetable soup recipe with meatballs has a flavorful broth that will have your family running to the table!
How To Make This Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe
This recipe starts with juicy turkey meatballs made by Honeysuckle White Turkey. These meatballs feature Italian turkey sausage that is wrapped around gooey, melty cheese (makes this soup especially appealing to kids). The fact that the meatballs are premade is a HUGE timesaver too (making them especially appealing to me)! These meatballs are tender and lean without compromising flavor
I brown the meatballs in my Dutch oven just until they are browned, then I remove them and set them aside. You are left with all that turkey flavor just sitting at the bottom of your pot.
The next layer of flavor is the vegetables! I add a little olive oil to the hot dutch oven and layer in onions, garlic, zucchini, carrots, and mushrooms that all get cooked just until soft. I add in beef broth, crushed tomatoes, water and bring this to a simmer. I added shell-shaped pasta to this soup. The pasta makes it heartier and extra family-friendly. Once the pasta is al dente, I added my meatballs and some freshly chopped kale. The kale will only take a few minutes to soften and then it is time to serve up some soup!
Vegetable Soup Substitutions
I know mushrooms may not be a crowd pleaser when it comes to kids, so feel free to omit them! Zucchini, squash (almost any variety), broccoli, and green beans are all wonderful vegetables to use!
Pasta can be omitted if you find that the soup is too filling. If you don’t want to use shells, then orzo, elbow macaroni, or ditalini are great options.
For a deeper, richer flavor, you can add a little balsamic vinegar to the liquid. This is a great way to boost flavor with minimal effort (see this cassoulet)!
Can Vegetable Soup Be Frozen?
This easy vegetable soup recipe can be frozen IF you do not add any pasta. The problem with soups that have a lot of pasta is once they are frozen and then thawed, the pasta begins to break down. This soup will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe with Meatballs
This easy vegetable soup recipe with meatballs has a flavorful broth that will have your family running to the table!
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz container HoneySuckle White Cheese Stuffed Italian Turkey Meatballs
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms,sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 14 oz cans beef broth
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can water
- 2 cups mini shell shaped pasta
- 2 cups chopped kale
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven placed over medium heat. Add meatballs, and cook until no longer pink. Remove meatballs and set aside.
- Heat remaining olive in the same Dutch oven. Add onions and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, zucchini and mushrooms. Cook an additional 5-7 minutes or until vegetables soften. Season vegetables with thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in beef broth, crushed tomatoes, and water (fill the tomato can with water), bring to a slight boil.
- Add pasta and reduce heat. Cook until pasta is al dente
- Add kale to the soup, stir.
- Return meatballs to the soup and simmer until heated through and kale has wilted.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 453Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 55mgSodium 1739mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 6gSugar 10gProtein 25g
Betsy says
Yum! This is really similar to a soup my mom makes but with potatoes instead of pasta.
heather+@french+press says
I think that the pasta might even win over little miss fussy! looks delicious Tanya
kathleen @ yummy crumble says
this looks great. I’m with the kids on this one. Vegetable soup makes me flee! But I love this one. If it’s kid approved then it’s me approved;)
Kate | Food Babbles says
Wow, this soup looks so hearty and filled with so many wonderful things! I can practically taste it. It’s snowy and cold here in NJ so this would be perfect comfort food right now. YUM!
Soulkitchenrecipes says
Beautiful photos for delish soup.
Joanne says
This soup looks delicious and I like the meatballs added to it.
Lea Andersen says
This is totally PERFECT! As a mom, it is hard to find a healthy food and at the same time a good one that kids will truly love. But, I think this recipe of yours is perfect to prepare since the weather is still in the cold stage, a good soup can ease the coldness. By the way, I hope you don’t mind me asking me this, can I used dim sum instead of meatballs? You know I have here the best dimsum in hong kong and I am sure it is what my sons will prefer too. Thanks =)
Bridgette says
Hi Tanya,
Thanks for this recipe, we made it the other night using veal and pork mince (which I actually don’t recommend- a little too fatty – stick with beef) but the rest of the soup was lovely and everyone ate it. 🙂
I think we’ll tackle the spinach ravioli dish next!
Lemonsforlulu says
I am so glad your family liked this soup! I don’t think I’ve tried veal before. But now you have me in the mood to make this soup again!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
Those meatballs sound fantastic! I will look for them in my store.
Jamie says
It’s been so cold here so I’ve been looking for a new soup recipe to try. Thanks so much for this – it sounds perfect!
Stacie Hamilton says
This is a nice hearty soup for cold winter days. My family is always happy when soup is ready after being outside.
krissy says
This soup looks divine! ive never thought of adding meatballs instead of ground meat. how yummy! i cant wait to try this!
natasha says
what a perfect dish for a cold winter night! can’t wait ron have this cookin in my kitchen!
Cheryl says
my family loved the meatballs in their soup! fabulous recipe!
priyanka says
Wow this looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for the tip!
Have a great day.
Priyanka
thewimpyvegetarian says
I absolutely love this soup! I want to make it tomorrow for the next round of snowstorms bearing down on us in the mountains. It will be perfect!
Toni says
This is such an ultimate comfort food!
ally says
I love love everything about this recipe. And, the splash of balsamic! Yummmmmmmmmmm!