Creamy Meatball Soup

I can count on one hand the “winter-like” days we’ve had so far this year.

It’s been relatively mild compared to past winters. We’ve lucked out and had many weekends of 60 degree weather. The grass has even started to turn green here; mistakenly thinking it’s spring already. Once the Bradford pear trees that line my driveway at work start to bloom their stinky white flowers, it’s all over. Winter will officially be wiped off the map.

Since the weather never really took a turn here, I haven’t been able to make a lot of winter-style foods. Who wants to slurp down some soup when it’s 70 degrees outside? Chili doesn’t have the same zing if it’s not 30 degrees. Stew doesn’t fill you up quite the same if there’s not a blanket of snow on the ground.

My soup/stew/chili section in my recipe index on this site is looking pretty barren this year. Just because it’s late it the season doesn’t mean I have to abandon it until next year. I bit the bullet and made a soup last weekend even though I could’ve been sunbathing outside in the tropical temps.

I’m glad I did.

This soup was one of those ‘clean-out-your-entire-kitchen’ style soups. I raided my pantry, freezer and fridge for ingredients. I used a half eaten block of Parmesan, a bag of peas that has been in my freezer for years, and an almost-empty container of Israeli couscous that had been collecting cobwebs in the back of my pantry.

And you know what? It all worked. This soup hit the spot—even if it wasn’t 30 degrees outside. It was creamy, hearty, and every spoonful was a surprise. That’s my favorite types of soups; the ones where you don’t know what you’ll scoop up next with your spoon.

Whether you’re buried under 2 feet of snow or about to dust off that swimsuit, this soup recipe is for you. It’s an entire meal-in-one perfect for those busy weeknights.

Enjoy!

Creamy Meatball Soup

• Servings: 8-10
• Time: 35 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

A hearty soup full of meatballs and veggies that's easy to make.

Ingredients

• 1 (24 oz.) bag frozen homestyle meatballs, thawed
• 2 TBS. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3-4 large carrots, sliced
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 12 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• Parmesan rind
• salt & pepper
• Grated parmesan, for serving

Directions

1. Heat one tablespoon oil over medium high heat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add meatballs and sear until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot and carrots and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes and then add mushrooms. Continue to saute for another 3-4 minutes.
3. Pour in beef stock, couscous, peas, Parmesan rind and meatballs. Let mixture come to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to medium. Let soup simmer for 15-20 minutes or until veggies are tender and couscous is cooked through.
4. Remove from heat and stir in cream, salt and pepper. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Heat one tablespoon oil over medium high heat in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add meatballs and sear until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot and carrots and garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes and then add mushrooms. Continue to saute for another 3-4 minutes.

Pour in beef stock, couscous, peas, Parmesan rind and meatballs. Let mixture come to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to medium. Let soup simmer for 15-20 minutes or until veggies are tender and couscous is cooked through.

Remove from heat and stir in cream, salt and pepper. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.