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!
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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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.
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.
Tracy says
This is my 3rd time making this, it’s delicious! I use the frozen Italian meatballs from Costco and it’s perfect. But I’m running into the problem of the pasta getting mushy by the time I go for a second bowl. I have already tried keeping the cooker on low while the pasta is cooking as well as turning off the slow cooker right after the pasta is cooked and cooling the leftovers down, but more liquid seems to get absorbed by the pasta. What should I do?
The Chunky Chef says
So glad you enjoy the recipe! The only fail-proof way to keep the pasta from getting mushy is to cook it separately and add some to your bowl 🙂
Celine says
I just made this soup tonight, was absolutely delicious. Did add green beans and baby peas only because I love it in a soup. ..and made homemade meatball instead of frozen. The flavour in Your soup was spot on, wouldn’t change a thing!!!
Sabine says
Was very interested until I read Frozen Meatballs.
The Chunky Chef says
Well obviously you could substitute your own homemade meatballs if you want to…
Sharyl says
My husband and I ❤️ This recipe. I make it often.
Vanna says
Question: I don’t really understand this, but I can’t eat onions. However, I can use and eat onion powder or salt. Do you think I could sub?
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve not tested it, but I think you could substitute onion powder for the raw onion. I’d try about 2 tsp of onion powder.
Sue says
Do you suggest chicken broth if using chicken meatballs?
The Chunky Chef says
You could certainly do that if you wanted 🙂
Linda says
Guess I should have read the other comments! Got the answer to my question! It’s in the crockpot now. Can’t wait to try it!
Linda says
What is a serving size for the 4 points?
Reine333 says
This was fantastic! Only change I made was used two cans of plain petit diced tomatoes. Already in my permanent recipe book. Husband is snoring after two bowls.
Regina W Minyard says
PS – I cooked it on the instant pot setting for soup for two minutes without noodles or spinach. After finished, I added the noodles on regular pressure cooker for one minute and let it rest about five minutes after releasing steam. Then just added the spinach for about twenty seconds with the lid on.
Sue says
Do you know how many green points?
The Chunky Chef says
I do not… I think your best bet would be to plug the ingredients into a calculator for those, unfortunately.
Sue says
Thanks. It look likes 5. I know it says it makes 10 servings. But do you know the size of each serving?
The Chunky Chef says
Roughly 1 1/3 cups, but I don’t measure it precisely 🙂
Lisa J says
Absolutely delicious!
holly rheachel says
Hello, I’m making this tomarow how much spinach would you recommend for adult spinach?
The Chunky Chef says
Approximately the same amount, it’s truly a personal preference.
Steve says
Is it OK to cook the pasta separately (in advance) and then add it in during the 6 hour slow cook? If so, at what point can I add it in without the pasta getting overcooked?
The Chunky Chef says
As written, the pasta doesn’t get overcooked any more than any other soup with pasta does, but if you’re worried, feel free to cook the pasta separately, but just stir it in at the end of cooking.
Cassandra McKenzie says
This was so easy and so delicious but of course my slow cooker wasn’t quite big enough. But, still great.
Angela Schmidt says
My family and I love this soup. I’ve made it over and over and closely follow the recipe. Perfect. Recently served it with warm sourdough bread. So, so good.
Victoria says
Amazing recipe! The red wine is essential for this recipe (in my opinion). It gives the broth such a beautiful depth and richness. I didn’t have spinach but it was ok and the crockpot wasn’t big enough so I used a le creuset dutch over and cooked till veggies were soft. I didn’t have Italian seasoning so I used the ones I have and made my own. Rosemary is so great with this soup! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Sue LaRose says
Hi, I Got all but how much is a serving???? One cup ??
The Chunky Chef says
Approximately 1 – 1 1/3 cups.
Sandra Peissner says
This was so yummy! Since we like spicy, I added one can rotel tomatoes and 3 cloves crushed garlic! I will definitely make this again!
Cindy says
We’ve made a very similar soup for years and the whole family loves it. My brother even requests it for his birthday! This soup is very forgiving and can be changed up in a variety of ways to suit what you have on hand. I’ve used frozen meatballs at times, but I cut them in half because I like them bite sized. I’ve also made my own tiny meatballs and baked and frozen them so I could have them ready when I wanted a quick bowl. If you don’t like diced tomatoes, use crushed. Gives a different texture, but sometimes that May hit the spot. Change up or leave out some veggies. For a heartier meal I decrease the pasta or use just a small amount of rice, but then drizzle a beaten egg into the simmering soup at the very end. Cooks instantly. This recipe also cooks quickly on the stovetop if you use already cooked meatballs.
Pam says
Do I need to make any adjustments if I make my own meatballs and they don’t go in frozen. Too much “junk” in store-bought frozen ones.
The Chunky Chef says
I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so I can’t say for certain, but I would probably brown the meatballs first so they don’t fall apart, and you’ll only need to add them the last 15-20 minutes or so.
Pam says
Made this soup over the weekend! Delicious! Thanks for sharing. This one will become a part of our fall and winter soup rotation.