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Italian Meatballs & Gnocchi Soup

Italian Meatballs & Gnocchi Soup: The Indulgent Comfort Dish

A delightful combination of tender meatballs and soft gnocchi in a savory broth, perfect for comfort food lovers looking for Italian flavors.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 cups
Calories 387 kcal

Equipment

  • mixing bowl
  • Cookie Scoop
  • Dutch oven

Ingredients
  

Italian Meatballs

  • 0.5 lb ground pork
  • 0.5 lb ground beef 85/15 meat to fat ratio
  • 0.5 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 0.5 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 piece egg
  • 0.5 piece yellow onion minced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more or less to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
  • 0.5 teaspoon black pepper more or less to taste
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil for cooking

Soup

  • 0.5 piece yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2-3 pieces tomatoes on a vine, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup water
  • 5-6 cups beef stock
  • 4 oz tomato paste
  • 0.5-1 salt more or less to taste
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less to taste
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 14-16 oz gnocchi homemade or ready-to-use
  • 1 piece rind of parmesan cheese optional
  • 0.25 cup fresh grated or shaved parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

Meatballs

  • In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for meatballs and mix until all evenly incorporated.
  • Use a cookie scoop to make meatballs that are about or slightly smaller than 1 inch in diameter. Set them aside on a parchment paper covered cutting board.

Soup

  • Preheat a large Dutch oven and add olive oil.
  • Sear meatballs a few at a time, don't overcrowd the pan! You are looking for a nice golden-brown sear on both sides, don't need to actually cook the meatballs through. Take seared meatballs out of the pan and do remaining batches. Set seared meatballs aside.
  • Add diced onion and carrots to the same pot and sauté over medium heat until softened and starts to get golden brown.
  • Make a little well in the center of the pot and add pressed garlic. Cook for a few seconds, until fragrant.
  • Add diced tomatoes and cook until softened. Pour in water and scrape the bottom of the pot as you stir. Add tomato paste and whisk it until incorporated.
  • Slowly pour in beef stock and raise heat to medium-high. Add back the seared meatballs and seasoning. (Make sure to add the juices that ran off the meatballs as well!)! Bring it to a low boil and lower the heat down to medium-low.
  • Add in the parmesan rind and let the soup cook for about 25-30 minutes. Make sure to stir from time to time.
  • Add grated parmesan cheese and gnocchi and cook just until gnocchi is done. (Gnocchi is usually cooked in 4-5 minutes.)
  • Once soup is done, find and discard the cooked parmesan rind.

Notes

Gluten Free Notes: In the meatballs, make sure to use gluten free bread crumbs. In the soup, make sure to use gluten free gnocchi. Storing and Freezing: please see the post body for detailed storing and freezing instructions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 387kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 21gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1140mgPotassium: 802mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3292IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 5mg
Keyword Comfort Food, dinner, Gnocchi, Italian Meatballs & Gnocchi Soup, Meatballs, soup
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