Description
Rich and hearty fall crockpot meatball soup loaded with tender beef meatballs, root vegetables, and aromatic herbs. This slow cooker comfort food simmers all day for deep, complex flavor perfect for chilly autumn evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Meatballs:
- 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20)
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- For the Soup:
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined — do not overwork. Roll into 1.5-inch meatballs (about 24 meatballs).
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear meatballs in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until browned on the outside. They don’t need to be cooked through — just get a nice crust. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Add carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker around the meatballs.
- In a bowl, whisk together beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over meatballs and vegetables. Tuck in bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender.
- Remove bay leaves. Stir in fresh spinach during the last 10 minutes of cooking until wilted.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
For best results, don’t skip browning the meatballs — it adds incredible depth of flavor. The soup freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. If using frozen meatballs, add 1 hour to cook time on LOW.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 6 hrs
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 75mg