Italian Meatball Sub Soup

A fun and flavorful soup inspired by a meatball sub, with frozen meatballs, chunky tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and optional heat, designed for stovetop cooking.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: 45 min
Servings: 4
Italian-AmericanComfort FoodNut-FreeShellfish-FreeFish-FreeSesame-FreeHigh-Protein

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 medium, diced Yellow onion
  • 1 medium, diced Green bell pepper
  • 3 cloves, minced Garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon (optional) Red pepper flakes
  • 1 (28 ounce) can Crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can, undrained Diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups Beef broth
  • 1 (16-ounce) bag (approx. 18-20 meatballs) Frozen cooked Italian meatballs
  • 2 teaspoons Dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Dried basil
  • to taste Salt
  • to taste Black pepper
  • for garnish grated Parmesan cheese
  • for garnish chopped Fresh basil leaves
  • for serving Crusty bread or croutons

Instructions

  1. 1.

    Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and green bell pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables have softened.

  2. 2.

    Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pot. Cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

  3. 3.

    Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes (undrained), beef broth, dried Italian seasoning, dried oregano, and dried basil. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring well to combine all ingredients.

  4. 4.

    Carefully add the frozen meatballs to the simmering soup. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are heated through and the flavors have melded. Stir occasionally to prevent any ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

  5. 5.

    Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Adjust seasonings to your preference.

  6. 6.

    Ladle the hot Italian Meatball Sub Soup into individual bowls. Garnish generously with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately with a side of crusty bread or toasted croutons for dipping, just like a sub!

Tips

  • 💡To enhance the "sub" experience, lightly toast slices of baguette brushed with garlic butter and serve alongside the soup for dipping.
  • 💡For a thicker soup, you can gently mash some of the tomatoes against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon, or simmer the soup uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes.
  • 💡Feel free to customize with other vegetables like sliced mushrooms or baby spinach, adding them during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Recipe from TheCookbook.ai

Created by Shannon Williams