This Italian meatball soup is made with mini meatballs and a nomato soup base. It’s also completely AIP, paleo, whole30, and nightshade free!

Every time I enter the grocery store, I’m shocked with how high the prices are now! So I’ve been getting creative with ground meat as it’s typically less expensive than other cuts of meat.

One way I love using ground beef is in meatballs. I love them, my kids love them, they’re just more exciting to eat!

So I thought why not make a meatball soup? It never hurts to make a nutrient dense food more fun, amirite?

And this soup is not only more fun with the meatballs, it’s also amazingly super tasty without tomatoes!

Throughout my AIP journey, I discovered that nightshades are definitely one of my top triggers.

Although I can very occasionally tolerate them, I mostly avoid them. Which is why I’m always looking for ways to imitate that tomato look, taste and texture.

In this recipe, beets and carrots are first roasted before blending with the bone broth. It’s a little extra work, but I promise it’s so totally worth it.

The roasted veggies give the soup another layer of flavour that is oh so good! I use this same method in my smoky dill cauliflower rice soup.

Ingredients needed

Soup Base

• bone broth – I used chicken but beef would also work
• carrots
• beet
• olive oil

Meatballs

• ground beef
• oregano, dried
• basil, dried
• garlic powder
• salt
• olive oil, for frying

Veggies

• onion
• carrot
• celery
• fresh parsley
• salt

Optional add-ins

• cassava pasta or gluten free pasta
• cauliflower rice
• kale or spinach

How to make Italian Meatball soup

Start by making the soup base! The oven needs to be preheated to 375 F because you’re going to roast the carrots and beet!

You need two cups of carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch slices, and one small beet, sliced into 1/4 inch slices. Then you’ll place the carrots and beet onto a baking pan with a tablespoon of olive oil and toss until they’re coated. Roast them in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until slightly browned.

While the veggies are roasting, you can start on preparing the meatballs!

In a large mixing bowl, add the all of the ingredients for the meatballs except the olive oil because it is for frying! Mix it all up until combined and then start forming the meatballs. You want them to be approx 1″ balls. These are mini meatballs!

Once they’re all formed, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the meatballs until browned on all sides, this takes about 8 minutes. Then remove meatballs and set aside. Drain the fat from the pot. Set pot aside, you’ll be using it again!

Then once the carrots and beet are roasted, transfer them to a blender and add the bone broth, and purée until smooth. If foam develops on top, remove it with a large ladle and discard. Then set the soup base aside.

Back to the large pot to combine the soup! Add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté vegetables for 4-5 minutes.

Add the broth mixture, and bring it to a simmer. Add the salt, meatballs, and parsley (or any other veggies you’re adding). Simmer for 10 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

Enjoy!

Note: If you’re adding cassava pasta, I would recommend adding the cooked pasta just before serving as it can get a bit mushy if it stays in the soup too long!

Yield: 6-8 servings

Italian Meatball Soup (AIP/Paleo/Whole30)

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
55 minutes

Additional Time:
10 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 20 minutes

This Italian meatball soup is made with mini meatballs and a nomato soup base. It's also completely AIP, paleo, whole30, and nightshade free!

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Ingredients

Soup Base

• 6 cups bone broth
• 2 cups carrots, 1/4 inch slices
• 1 small beet, 1/4 inch slices (approx 1/3 cup)
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Meatballs

• 1lb ground beef
• 1/2 tsp oregano, dried
• 1/2 tsp basil, dried
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for frying

Soup

• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Soup Base: Place carrots, beets, and 1 tbsp of olive oil on baking sheet and toss until veggies are coated with oil and roast in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until slightly browned.
3. Meatballs: In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients for the meatballs and form them into 1” balls. These are “mini” meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute the meatballs until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Set meatballs aside. Drain fat from pot.
4. Once carrots and beets are roasted transfer to a blender, add bone broth, and purée until smooth. If foams develops on top, remove with a large ladle and discard. Set broth mixture aside.
5. Add olive oil to the same large pot and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook the vegetables for 4-5 minutes. Add broth mixture and bring to a simmer.
6. Add the salt, meatballs and parsley to the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender!
7. Enjoy!