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Home / Comfort Food

Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup

4.48
/5
6 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
94 Comments
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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 08/28/2018

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

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.

This Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup is hearty, easy, and incredibly satisfying!  You'll never guess it's only 4 smart points per serving. #italian #meatball #soup #slowcooker #crockpot #weightwatchers #smartpoints #comfortfood

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?

Italian meatball soup in crockpot

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!

Bowl of hearty Italian meatball soup

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

Bowl of meatball soup with cheese on top

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.

Ladle of Italian meatball soup in slow cooker

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!

This Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup is hearty, easy, and incredibly satisfying!  You'll never guess it's only 4 smart points per serving. #italian #meatball #soup #slowcooker #crockpot #weightwatchers #smartpoints #comfortfood

Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup

4.48 from 42 votes
Author: The Chunky Chef
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 6 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Calories: 170
Servings: 10 servings
(hover over # to adjust)
Print Rate Pin
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).

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Video

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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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.

This Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup is hearty, easy, and incredibly satisfying!  You'll never guess it's only 4 smart points per serving. #italian #meatball #soup #slowcooker #crockpot #weightwatchers #smartpoints #comfortfood

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Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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4.48 from 42 votes (18 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




  1. Cindy says

    Posted on 11/14 at 6:01 pm

    I made this for supper tonight, not in the crock pot, just simmering on the stove. It is so good! My husband and 15-year-old son loved it. I put it on our rotating dinner list.

    Reply
  2. Shannon says

    Posted on 11/11 at 8:57 pm

    My husband and kids loved this soup! I used the slow cook function on my instant pot and omitted the fresh spinach which I didn’t have on hand, otherwise made it according to the recipe. We all had seconds and there’s enough soup leftover for tomorrow’s dinner. Everyone agreed I should make it again! I will. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Rhonda says

    Posted on 11/7 at 3:26 pm

    Can I use red wine vinegar as a substitute for red wine?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 11/7 at 7:36 pm

      I think that might throw the flavor off… I would just swap the red wine out for an equal amount of beef broth or stock.

      Reply
  4. Randi says

    Posted on 11/5 at 7:05 pm

    Can this be made without the wine? I can’t have wine, as it gives me bad headaches. 

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 11/5 at 8:04 pm

      Yes, just swap out the wine for an equal amount of beef stock.

      Reply
  5. Beth says

    Posted on 11/4 at 10:03 am

    Can you freeze this? 

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 11/4 at 8:57 pm

      I haven’t tested it, but I think it should freeze well.

      Reply
  6. Amy says

    Posted on 10/12 at 11:19 am

    Can I cook on high and reduce time ?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 10/12 at 9:07 pm

      Sure, I’d do about 3 – 3.5 hours on high 🙂

      Reply
  7. Sandi says

    Posted on 10/12 at 10:37 am

    I don’t have a slow cooker. If I want to make this on my gas stove, how long would it need to simmer? Thank you.

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 10/12 at 9:07 pm

      I would simmer it for about 30 minutes, just make sure the meatballs are heated through.

      Reply
  8. Beth says

    Posted on 10/10 at 7:21 pm

    This soup was AMAZING! Thank you!

    Reply
  9. Anna says

    Posted on 10/9 at 7:28 pm

    What is the serving size?

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 10/9 at 9:28 pm

      I haven’t precisely measured it, but approximately a cup.

      Reply
  10. Angela says

    Posted on 10/4 at 3:13 pm

    What is the serving size for the meatball soup? It’s sooo good but I need help figuring out the serving size please. Thank you!

    Reply
    • The Chunky Chef says

      Posted on 10/4 at 7:56 pm

      Hi Angela 🙂 I’ve never measured it precisely, but I think around a cup would be the serving size.

      Reply
  11. Audrey @ Two Pink Peonies says

    Posted on 9/19 at 2:18 pm

    OMG this looks amazing and slow cooker meals are the best. I can’t wait to try this 🙂

    Reply
  12. Denise says

    Posted on 9/16 at 9:05 pm

    Delish!!!!  I used frozen Italian turkey meatballs and added 1/2 a large zucchini. Will make again. Thanks 🙂

    Reply
  13. Allyson Zea says

    Posted on 9/2 at 9:43 pm

    What a delicious hearty recipe for fall! YUM!

    Reply
  14. Krista says

    Posted on 9/2 at 1:54 pm

    Wow! This looks and sounds so good! I have to make it when the weather cools off!

    Reply
  15. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    Posted on 8/31 at 9:51 am

    Healthy means I can eat more, right?

    Reply
  16. Sharon Rybak says

    Posted on 8/30 at 7:05 pm

    Ive made this recipe for over 20 yrs! Now ime alone and still make it to put in freezer. This is a hit, although I used real hamburger in my “hamburger soup”! I add a few more flavorful veggies and it rocks…..I eat 2 big bowls myself!!

    Reply
  17. Jamielyn says

    Posted on 8/30 at 12:10 pm

    YUM!! Looks delicious! I can’t wait for soup season!

    Reply
  18. Katerina @ diethood .com says

    Posted on 8/30 at 6:51 am

    My family would LOVE this!! It looks incredibly delicious!

    Reply
  19. Carrie R says

    Posted on 8/29 at 6:02 pm

    LOVE that this soup is made in the slow cooker! 🙂 It looks amazing.

    Reply
  20. Mahy Elamin says

    Posted on 8/29 at 3:22 pm

    Ohhh I can’t WAIT to try this! Now, this recipe will be one of my favorites. Looks incredible! I like all the ingredients in it.

    Reply
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