Tomato and Herb Meatball Soup

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-13 · Updated 2026-04-13

Hearty meatballs simmered in a tangy tomato broth with fresh herbs and vegetables for a satisfying bowl. This Puerto Rican-inspired soup recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs ground beef, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped carrots
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup small pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a bowl, combine ground beef (1 lb), breadcrumbs (1/2 cup), Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup), egg (1), tomato sauce (1/2 cup), chopped parsley (1/4 cup), chopped onion (1/4 cup), minced garlic (2 cloves), and chopped carrots (1/4 cup); mix gently, then form into 16 small meatballs.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add meatballs, and cook for 3 minutes until browned on all sides; remove and set aside.
3. Step 3: Add chopped celery (1/4 cup) to the pot and cook for 2 minutes until softened, then stir in remaining tomato sauce (1/2 cup), chicken broth (4 cups), bay leaf (1), dried oregano (1/4 tsp), and salt (1/4 tsp); bring to a simmer.
4. Step 4: Return meatballs to pot, add small pasta (1/4 cup), and simmer for 12 minutes until pasta is tender and meatballs are cooked through; remove bay leaf and serve.