Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup with Pasta & Spinach

Introduction

This Slow Cooker Meatball Soup is a comforting and hearty meal perfect for busy days when you want something warm and satisfying. Packed with Italian-style meatballs, tender pasta, and fresh spinach, it combines rich flavors in a simple, hands-off recipe.

This image shows a creamy, orange-colored soup with small meatballs, bright green spinach leaves, and tiny tube-shaped pasta, all mixed together in a black pot. The soup liquid is thick and smooth, covering the round meatballs and pasta evenly, with the spinach leaves floating on top and inside. A wooden spoon is scooping up a portion of the soup, revealing the different textures and colors clearly: the orange broth, the light brown meatballs, the pale yellow pasta, and the fresh green spinach. The background is a white marbled texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

20 ounces frozen Italian style meatballs
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 teaspoons garlic, minced
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 corn starch
1 ½ cups heavy cream
16 ounces dry ditalini pasta
1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
4 cups fresh baby spinach

Instructions

Step 1: Add the meatballs, diced onion, minced garlic, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, black pepper, Italian seasoning, paprika, and dried thyme to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Step 2: Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the corn starch and heavy cream until smooth with no lumps. Pour the mixture into the soup and stir well.
Step 4: Add the dry ditalini pasta, Parmesan cheese, and fresh baby spinach to the slow cooker. Continue cooking for 15-30 minutes, or until the pasta is tender to your liking.
Step 5: Stir the soup before serving to evenly distribute the ingredients. Enjoy your warm, flavorful meatball soup!

Tips & Variations

For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream or omit the cream entirely and add more broth.
If you prefer a thicker soup, increase the corn starch to 3 tablespoons.
Feel free to swap ditalini with other small pasta shapes like orzo or elbow macaroni.
Add extra veggies such as chopped carrots or zucchini for more texture and nutrition.
Use fresh meatballs if preferred, but adjust cooking time accordingly to ensure they are fully cooked.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, warm gently on the stove or in the microwave to avoid curdling the cream. You may need to add a splash of broth or water to thin the soup as it thickens upon cooling. This soup can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Serve

This image shows a creamy soup with meatballs and pasta in a black pot. The soup is orange and thick with a smooth texture, filled with small round pasta tubes in light yellow, green spinach leaves scattered throughout, and several brown meatballs of medium size. A wooden spoon is lifting a spoonful of the soup, showing the layers of meatball, spinach, and pasta pieces all coated in the creamy orange broth. The pot sits on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this soup without a slow cooker?

Yes, you can prepare this soup on the stovetop. Brown the meatballs first, then add all ingredients except pasta and spinach to a large pot and simmer for 45 minutes. Add pasta and spinach in the last 15 minutes of cooking.