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Tomato Basil Meatball Soup

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By: MadelinePosted: 10/11/2020Updated: 03/31/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Tomato Basil Meatball Soup is a healthy and hearty Whole30 soup! This Italian meatball soup is easy to make and loaded with filling veggies.

Above view of a bowl of tomato basil meatball soup made with mini beef meatballs

Make a delicious and hearty mini meatball soup!

There are a few things that helped me to stay on track during my first Whole30 and having a batch of filling veggie Whole30 soup was one of them. I keep this tomato basil meatball soup recipe in my rotation during the cold winter months.

This hearty meatball soup recipe is loaded with veggies to keep you fuller longer. The recipe calls for cauliflower rice to be blended into the soup, but you can add extra veggies as the soup simmers.

This healthy Whole30 soup is prefect any time of day. It is filling enough to be its own meal, but it could also be a perfect side dish. I prepped this soup last week and have even been enjoying it for breakfast!

Side view of a sheet pan of baked mini beef meatballs for Italian meatball soup

What kitchen gear will I need to make this tomato basil meatball soup recipe?

To make this easy Whole30 soup you will need a mixing bowl for the meatballs. You will also need a baking sheet and a parchment paper for baking the meatballs for this Italian meatball soup.

You will need a large soup pot for simmering and cooking this tomato basil soup. I use a dutch oven for cooking all of my healthy soups and stews.

The last thing you will need is an immersion blender or a regular blender. After veggies in this Whole30 tomato basil meatball soup simmer, you will blend them into a thick and creamy soup. You can either blend them directly in the pot or with an immersion blender.

Three quarter view of a bowl of meatball soup

What You Need to Make Italian meatball soup

Mini meatballs ingredients:

  • Ground beef
  • Egg
  • Almond flour
  • Salt
  • Crushed red pepper

Tomato basil soup ingredients:

  • Avocado oil
  • Fresh garlic
  • Yellow onion
  • Vegetable broth
  • Tomato paste
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Cauliflower rice – fresh or frozen
  • Salt, pepper, dried herbs
  • Optional: fresh basil
Can I use ground turkey or ground chicken for this recipe?

Yes, you can make the baked mini meatballs with ground turkey or ground chicken. You may need to add slightly more flour to help the meatballs stick together.

Can I use regular flour instead of almond flour for the meatballs?

Yes, you can use regular all purpose flour, but I recommend using only a 1/4 cup of flour instead of a 1/2 cup of flour.

Above view of a bowl of mini meatball soup with fresh basil ribbons on top

How to Make Tomato Basil Meatball Soup

To make this hearty and healthy Whole30 soup you will start by baking the mini meatballs. Then you will simmer the veggies for this filling Italian meatball soup. Next, you will blend the soup base to make it creamy. Finally, you will add the meatballs to the soup base and simmer.

Step 1 – Bake the Meatballs

Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine ground beef, egg, almond flour, salt and crushed red pepper in a large mixing bowl until a smooth mixture remains. Using a 1/2 tbsp scoop out 40 scoops onto the baking sheet and roll into tight small balls. Bake for 12 minutes.

Step 2 – Simmer the Base of the Soup

While the meatballs bake, mince the garlic and dice the yellow onion. Heat your soup pot over medium-low heat and add oil, garlic, and onion to the warm pot. Saute the garlic and onions until soft and fragrant about 4 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, dried basil and dried oregano to the pot and mix. Then, mix in the tomato paste. Pour in the vegetable broth, water, diced tomatoes, and cauliflower rice. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 3 – Blend the Soup

After the soup simmers for 20 minutes, turn off the heat and blend. You can either blend in the pot with an immersion blender or blend in a standard blender in batches and then return to the pot.

Step 4 – Simmer Again!

Add the cooked meatballs back into the soup pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!

Three quarter view of a ladle scooping a bowl full of Italian meatball soup out of a large pot

Storage

Allow this healthy tomato basil meatball soup to cool completely. Then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave-safe bowl.

Can I freeze this tomato basil meatball soup?

Yes! Of course, you can make a big batch of this healthy Whole30 meatball soup and store it in the freezer for later. To do this I like to allow the soup to cool completely and then store in individual airtight containers for easy defrosting.

Can I make this tomato basil meatball soup vegetarian?

Yes! If you are on a vegan or vegetarian diet you can easily alter this soup to fit your needs! You can replace the beef meatballs with some vegan lentil meatballs like these ones.

Check out these other delicious soup recipes!

  • Creamy Chicken and Brown Rice Soup
  • Classic Vegetable Soup (Progresso Copycat)
  • Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
  • Sweet Potato Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

Keep reading to grab the full recipe for this healthy and hearty Whole30 soup! If you make this please let me know in the comments below or on my Instagram!

Image for pinning Tomato Basil Meatball Soup recipe on Pineterest
Above view of a bowl of tomato basil meatball soup made with mini beef meatballs
Recipe

Tomato Basil Meatball Soup

★★★★★ 4.8 from 4 reviews

Italian tomato basil meatball soup made with baked mini meatballs

Recipe By: Madeline
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 40 minutesTotal: 50 minutes
Print Pin it Rate recipe Save recipe
Servings: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Soup

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cups vegetable broth (1 qt container)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tbsp tomato past
  • 28oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen)
  • Optional: fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  2. Combine ground beef, egg, almond flour, salt and crushed red pepper in a large mixing bowl until a smooth mixture remains
  3. Using a 1/2 tbsp scoop, scoop our 40 scoops onto the baking sheet and roll into tight small balls
  4. Bake for 12 minutes
  5. While the meatballs bake, mince the garlic and dice the yellow onion
  6. Heat your soup pot over medium-low heat and add oil, garlic, and onion to the warm pot
  7. Saute the garlic and onions until soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes
  8. Add salt, pepper, dried basil, and dried oregano to the pot and mix
  9. Mix in the tomato paste
  10. Pour in the vegetable broth, water, diced tomatoes, and cauliflower rice
  11. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes
  12. After the soup simmers for 20 minutes, turn off the heat
  13. Either blend the soup directly in the pot with an immersion blender or blend in a standard blender in batches and return to the pot
  14. Add the cooked meatballs back into the soup pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes
  15. Garnish with fresh basil and enjoy!
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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About Madeline

Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

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Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Sarah S says

    Posted on 4/5 at 9:02 pm

    I made this soup for my dad… who is a quite the critic and he LOVED it. I could not believe how juicy the baked meatballs were. One of my favorite dishes.

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 4/6 at 7:31 am

      Ah yay! I need to make this one again for sure!

      Reply
  2. Mads says

    Posted on 4/23 at 8:55 pm

    I had a pound of ground beef in my freezer and was searching for a recipe to use with limited ingredients during this quarantine. This was the perfect recipe as I already had everything in my pantry or freezer! It was so easy to make and the directions were very clear. I had minimal expectations but was completely shocked by how good this was! I cook a LOT and my sister, who is picky, said it was her favorite thing I’ve ever made! What a weeknight during quarantine win!

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 4/23 at 11:45 pm

      Ahh that makes me so happy!! It definitely sounds like it’s going to be a weird combo but then the flavors just work!

      Reply
  3. Ann Woo says

    Posted on 9/14 at 9:19 pm

    This is an amazing warm and cozy soup recipe that is perfect for the upcoming fall and winter! Couldn’t recommend any more!

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 9/15 at 12:19 pm

      Thank you!!!

      Reply
  4. KELLY ANNE TAGUE says

    Posted on 10/12 at 10:09 am

    This looks so yummy and comforting on this rainy day. I gotta make this!

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 10/12 at 11:44 am

      Yes you would love it!

      Reply
  5. Stephanie D says

    Posted on 10/13 at 11:45 am

    Made this last night and it was fantastic! So much flavor! I added some spice with a generaous pinch of red pepper flakes and it was perfect! It’s definitely going in my rotation of meals to make.

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 10/13 at 2:05 pm

      I am so glad!! Thank you!!

      Reply
  6. Lindsay says

    Posted on 10/17 at 7:42 pm

    This was so delicious! I have been looking for a go to tomato soup recipe and this is it! I love the addition of meatballs – they were so flavorful.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 10/18 at 12:49 pm

      amazing!! Thank you!!

      Reply
  7. Kristen says

    Posted on 10/19 at 11:51 am

    this is the most perfect tomato soup! can’t wait to make again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 10/20 at 8:31 am

      Wonderful!! Thank you!!

      Reply
  8. Joy O says

    Posted on 12/28 at 4:15 pm

    I am a life-long tomato soup lover but HATE canned tomato soups – always too sweet. I’ve got a couple of go-to tomato soup recipes (yes more than one) and this easily tops the list. It’s easier to throw together than a from scratch roasted tomato soup and it satisfies my more carnivore leaning partner. Definitely a weeknight win for anytime of year.

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 12/28 at 9:28 pm

      AW thank you so much!!!

      Reply
  9. Micah says

    Posted on 1/16 at 8:00 pm

    Really delicious. I used this as a meal prep for the week and made a large batch. It turned out perfect.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/18 at 12:48 pm

      wonderful!! thank you so muuch!!

      Reply
  10. Kenneth Kaya says

    Posted on 1/3 at 12:30 pm

    This soup is perfect to eat after a 2 hour bike ride to supplement the post recovery process. I eat 2 cups with a slice of garlic bread

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 1/3 at 1:53 pm

      So glad to hear! Thanks, Kenneth!

      Reply
  11. Rachel B says

    Posted on 2/6 at 7:20 pm

    Delicious, loved the consistency of the soup with the cauliflower rice, husband loved the meatballs!! Will definitely make again.

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 2/6 at 8:56 pm

      Awesome! Thanks, Rachel!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

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