With just 20 minutes of prep time, it’s easy to pop this soup on in the morning to have dinner ready for you in the evening. It’s ready in a total time of about 6 and a half hours, but most of the hard work is done for you by the slow cooker. The soup feels light while still providing everything you need for a nourishing meal; protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber and healthy fats.
If you’re looking for more healthy soup recipes then try my Easy Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup or my Chicken Minestrone Soup.
Everything You Will Need to Make Slow Cooker Meatball Soup
I love a recipe that uses humble, everyday ingredients and this meatball soup is a new favourite of mine! It’s budget friendly, all of the ingredients are easy to find and it tastes delicious. The full recipe and list of ingredient quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. I’ve listed everything you will need below, including any possible ingredient substitutes and notes.
For the meatballs:
- pork mince – I’ve used pork mince (or ground pork) but you can also use turkey, chicken or beef.
- egg – if you have an egg allergy, swap the egg for a tablespoon of tapioca flour to help bind the meatballs.
- gluten free breadcrumbs – I’ve made this recipe gluten free because I am gluten intolerant but if you’re not then you can go ahead and use regular breadcrumbs or panko crumbs.
- herbs and spices – you will need onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, ground white pepper and finely ground sea salt. You can swap the white pepper for cracked black pepper and the dried thyme and dried oregano for Italian seasoning / mixed Italian herbs. If you’re on a low sodium diet then feel free to use less salt.
For the soup:
- aromatics – you will need brown onion, carrots, celery and garlic cloves. The onion can be swapped for finely sliced leek.
- chicken stock or broth – you can also use vegetable broth or beef broth instead of chicken.
- parmesan rind – don’t throw away your parmesan rinds! Save them up and freeze them to pop into soups and stews to add extra flavour.
- bay leaf
- kale – substitute kale for baby spinach or swiss chard (silverbeet).
Optional extras
- bread and butter, to serve
- grated parmesan cheese, to serve
- fresh herbs to serve, like basil, parsley
- extra vegetables like green beans and potatoes
- small pasta like macaroni, pastina or ditalini pasta.
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Tips for Making the Best Slow Cooker Meatball Soup
Below are some of my top tips for getting the best results every time. You can find the full list of instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- use clean hands to mix the meatballs – you could try and stir the mixture with spoon but honestly, the best way to mix meatballs is to get in there with clean hands and squish everything together.
- use a slow cooker with a sear function – to get rich flavors, sauté the aromatics first before adding the rest of the ingredients. You can do this on the stovetop if you’re slow cooker doesn’t have a sear function.
- slow cook for 6-8 hours – you can slow cook this soup on low for 6 hours or more or on high for 4 hours.
Storage
This slow cooker meatball soup leftovers store really well in the refrigerator or freezer. Store for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container and reheat before eating. To freeze, divide between airtight containers (I prefer glass), label with the name and date and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating on the stovetop instead of in the microwave is preferred.
Get ahead tip: make the meatballs and freeze them raw, labelled with the name and date. On the day of cooking, add the frozen meatballs at the same time as the broth and remaining ingredients – they will still cook beautifully.
Slow cooker meatball soup
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 500 grams pork mince
- ¼ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 litres chicken stock
- Parmesan rind
- 2 cups kale, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt
- 1 bay leaf
To serve
- Bread and butter
- parmesan, finely grated
Instructions
- To make the meatballs, add the pork mince, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, egg, salt and white pepper into a large bowl. Use clean hands to mix together until well combined. Take a spoonful of mixture and form into a meatball, a little smaller than a meatball. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatball mixture.
- Turn the slow cooker to the sear function. Once preheated, add olive oil and then onion, celery and carrot. Sauté until the onion is translucent. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. *see notes
- Add the chicken stock, parmesan rind, bay leaf and meatballs to the soup. Turn the slow cooker to slow cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Once the meatballs are completely cooked through, add sea salt to taste.
- About 15 minutes before the soup is finished, add the kale and stir to wilt.
- Serve the soup hot alongside crusty bread of choice.
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