Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup

This hearty and rich Italian meatball soup is made easily in the slow cooker. With only 4 WW smart points, it’s a delicious dinner or lunch idea!

Looking for a great weeknight dinner idea?  Give this Italian meatball soup a try!  Full of vegetables, hearty meatballs and pasta, you’d never know it was only 4 smart points.

Much to my dismay, we still have a several weeks (or more) of summer and humidity left.  Ugh.  I know, I’m SO ready for Fall!  I’m a huge soup lover, and am so ready for all things comforting.  We eat soup year round, but there’s just something extra comforting and delicious about soup in the Fall!

Especially a soup like this hearty Italian meatball soup!  It’s light, but not light-tasting… which is the best kind of soup isn’t it?

Another great thing about this Italian meatball soup is that there’s nothing to pre-cook or brown… it all goes right in the slow cooker!

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK MEATBALLS IN SOUP?

Normally, with freshly made meatballs, on the stovetop, they’d have to simmer for at least 20 minutes.  But in this soup, I’ve made it incredibly easy by using frozen fully cooked meatballs.  No messy meatball hands, and no guessing if the meatballs are cooked all the way through!

This Italian meatball soup is only 4 Weight Watchers smart points per serving, but there are several ways to change that:

TO POTENTIALLY DECREASE THE POINTS:

• Use additional beef broth or water instead of the red wine
• Use chicken meatballs
• Use turkey meatballs
• Use a less pasta

TO POTENTIALLY INCREASE THE POINTS:

• Use more meatballs
• Use more pasta
• Use the optional cheese garnish

I know you may be wondering why on earth you’d want to INCREASE the points in a meal… and I know it seems a little counterintuitive.  But eating only 0-2/3 point foods will likely not keep you satisfied, and can lead to some unhealthy snacking, which totally undoes all the good you’ve been doing!  So sometimes adding a few extra points here and there (while still staying within your daily/weekly allowance) actually helps you stick to your healthy way of eating.

OTHER GREAT SLOW COOKER SOUPS

• Skinny Crockpot Loaded Potato Soup
• Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
• Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
• Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup
• Slow Cooker Cheesy Ham Chowder
• Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden copycat recipe)

HELPFUL TOOLS:

• 6 quart slow cooker – This is a recent addition to my slow cooker collection, but it cooks wonderfully and the lid locks in place!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup

4.39 from 34 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours 5 minutes

Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes

Calories: 170

Servings: 10 servings

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This hearty and rich Italian meatball soup is made easily in the slow cooker.

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 medium carrots , sliced
• ▢ 2 ribs celery , sliced
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion , diced
• ▢ 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1/4 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 12 oz frozen Italian meatballs (the fully cooked kind)
• ▢ 32 oz beef broth (reduced sodium)
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 5 oz dry red wine (like a cabernet sauvignon)
• ▢ 2 (15 oz each) cans diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• ▢ 3/4 cup dry ditalini pasta
• ▢ 3-5 oz fresh baby spinach
• ▢ sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional and not included in point value)

Instructions

• To a 6 quart or larger slow cooker, add carrots, celery, onion, Italian seasoning, black pepper, bay leaf, meatballs, broth, water, wine, and canned tomatoes.
• Stir to combine, cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, until vegetables are tender and flavors are combined.
• Stir in ditalini pasta, cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes, until pasta is tender. Remove bay leaf and stir in spinach until wilted.
• Serve hot, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired (this is not included in the point value).

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Calories: 170 | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 386mg | Potassium: 317mg | Sugar: 1g | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 77.8% | Vitamin C: 5.8% | Calcium: 3.7% | Iron: 5.5%

I’m not a nutritionist, and nutritional values here on my recipes should be used for general information purposes only.  This information is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new diet and fitness regimen.