Instant Pot Turkey Meatball Soup is loaded with mini turkey meatball, zucchini, vegetables, and ditalini pasta. Hearty and healthy, it makes a cozy weeknight dinner. Leftovers are great too!
Easy Instant Pot Turkey Meatball Soup
My kids love this Instant Pot turkey meatball soup, especially my oldest Karina who was home when I was making this ditalini recipe and loved it so much she packed up the rest to take with her. Similar to Minestrone Soup, it’s filled with turkey meatballs, veggies, and ditalini pasta – a complete meal on its own. Just add some grated parmesan on top and enjoy!
To make this extra flavorful, I love to add a parmesan cheese rind. It really amplifies the broth but it’s also totally optional!
This ditalini recipe is also great for batch cooking, whether you’re making it ahead for the week or saving the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Looking for more great Instant Pot soups? Try my split pea soup, tomato basil soup, and smoked turkey black bean soup recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Ditalini Recipe
Here are a few reasons we all love this turkey meatball soup.
- Perfect for busy weeknights. From start to finish, this ditalini recipe takes just an hour to make. Perfect for busy weeknights and lazy weekends alike.
- Hearty but healthy. Between the ditalini, turkey meatballs, and veggies, this soup is very filling – while still being relatively light and healthy too!
- Great for meal prep. Leftover turkey meatball soup is perfect for weekday lunch meal prep and this makes a great freezer meal too!
What You’ll Need
Both the turkey meatballs and the soup itself are made with just a handful of ingredients. You’ll need ground turkey, some veggies, broth, and just a few seasonings. See the recipe card below for measurements.
- Ground turkey – I prefer to use 93% lean turkey.
- Seasoned breadcrumbs – If needed, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs as well.
- Pecorino Romano cheese – Adds a little flavor to the meatballs. Freshly grated is best.
- Egg – Helps hold everything together.
- Garlic – Crushed garlic adds flavor to both the meatballs and the soup.
- Minced parsley – Minced parsley is also added for an earthy flavor that pairs well with the garlic.
- Salt
- Olive oil – For sauteing the veggies.
- Veggies – Onion, celery, carrot, and zucchini add substances and nutrients to this ditalini recipe.
- Diced tomatoes – San Marzano tomatoes are best. I used the Tuttorosso brand.
- Chicken broth – Be sure to use low sodium to control the saltiness.
- Herbs – Basil leaves and bay leaves add flavor to the broth.
- Ditalini pasta – Use wheat or gluten-free as desired.
- Parmesan – I love to top this soup with parmesan before serving. You can also add the parmesan rind for more flavor.
How To Make Turkey Meatball Soup in the Instant Pot
Using the Instant Pot for this ditalini recipe turns it into a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
- Form the meatballs. Gently mix together all of the meatball ingredients. Form into 30 meatballs, each about 1 heaping tablespoon.
- Brown the meatballs. Press saute in the Instant Pot and spray with oil. Brown the meatballs in batches, spraying each time. Set aside and clean the Instant Pot.
- Saute the veggies. Heat the oil then cook the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic until soft. Add the tomatoes, Parmesan rind, basil, and bay leaves, and stir. Return to the meatballs.
- Add the broth. Add the broth and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Add the pasta and zucchini. Quick release then open the lid and add the pasta and zucchini. Cook for 4 minutes then quick release to avoid overcooking the pasta. Enjoy!
Can I Make This On The Stovetop?
Yes, you can absolutely make this turkey meatball soup with ditalini on the stovetop! You’ll want to use a large pot.
Brown the meatballs in batches then simmer all other ingredients, except the pasta and zucchini, covered on low heat for 30 minutes. Add the pasta and zucchini and cook according to the pasta directions.
Tips for Making This Ditalini Recipe
Here are a few tips for perfecting this turkey meatball soup recipe.
- Cook the meatballs in batches. To make the meatballs without breaking them, cook in a few batches and don’t turn them until they no longer stick. You can also skip the browning if you wish and plop them directly into the liquid.
- Use beans instead of pasta. If you’re not eating pasta, turkey meatball soup is also fantastic with beans. Just swap the pasta for a 15 ounce can of white beans.
- Undercook the pasta for meal prep. The pasta will continue to expand in the soup, so if you have leftovers you can add more broth or water. If you plan on making this ahead for the week, I suggest undercooking the pasta by a few minutes.
- Cook the pasta separately if desired. You can also cook the pasta separately, then add it to the soup when serving if you like your pasta al dente.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve this turkey meatball soup with freshly grated parmesan on top and some additional basil. Between the meatballs and ditalini, I don’t find the need for many sides.
However, a slice of crusty bread is never a bad idea with soup and you can always go for a “soup and salad” combo with a Caesar salad or classic side salad.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Keep leftover turkey meatball soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. You can also freeze this soup for up to 3 months, with or without the ditalini. Note that the ditalini will soften and absorb more of the broth. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat. The easiest way to reheat this turkey meatball soup is on the stovetop, though the microwave works well for individual portions.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes To Try
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Short Rib Soup
- Sweet Potato Soup with Sausage
- Chunky Beef, Cabbage, and Tomato Soup
- Beef and Acini Di Pepe Soup
Instant Pot Turkey Meatball and Ditalini Soup
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs, Can substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the soup
- cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped carrot
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 can diced San Marzano tomatoes, 28 ounces, I used Tuttorosso
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 4 basil leaves, plus optional more for garnish
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 ounces ditalini pasta, 1 cup* (wheat or gluten-free)
- 1 cup zucchini, diced small
- Parmesan rind, optional
- Grated parmesan cheese, optional for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine turkey, breadcrumbs, pecorino, egg, garlic, parsley and salt and gently mix to combine.
- Form into 30 meatballs, about 1 heaping tablespoon each.
- Press saute in the Instant Pot and spray with oil.
- Brown the meatballs in 2 to 3 batches, spraying each time. Set aside on a dish and clean the pot.
- Heat the oil and add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic, cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, Parmesan rind, basil, bay leaves and stir, return the meatballs to the pot.
- Add the chicken broth, cover and cook high pressure 15 minutes.
- Quick release and open the lid, add the pasta and zucchini and cook 4 minute more, quick release so the pasta doesn’t overcook.
- Serve with grated cheese if desired and basil.
I didn’t expect this to be SO GOOD, but it was worth trying and is even better the next day. I have updated my grocery list to make it again this weekend!
So hearty yet healthy! It took me longer than the estimates given I had to do 3 batches of meatballs. I added butternut squash too. Will definitely make again!
Definitely a keeper. Will make it again. Loved it.
Awesome!
Sounds great and would like to make. I have fresh tomatoes could I use them in the soup? I have so many tomatos right now I would like to get rid of them before they go bad.
We love this soup only problem I have is the meatballs always stick to the bottom of the pot. I break them as I turn them. This time I put them in the air fryer then dumped them in the insta pot. Better
If you use your instant pot a lot you can invest in a nonstick pot. Great to things like this. Amazon carries them.
This was delicious! So easy and tasted like it cooked for hours! Family loved it!
Amazing, delicious recipe! Make it (even though it’s a lot of meatballs) you won’t be sorry!
Yum! This was perfect as is and even better for lunch the next day. Thank you!
So good! We added red pepper flakes with the onions and swapped the meatballs for Impossible Meatballs – just toss them in frozen when you would toss in the turkey meatballs.
Delicious! My husband loved it so much. I added more zucchini because I love it. The following day I added more broth since the broth had been absorbed by the pasta. Yum.
Just a delicious soup!!
This has been a go to for us for at least 3 years now. Tonight I made it without dairy (my baby has CMPA) and it was still excellent. I don’t have an instant pot, so I’ve always just baked the meatballs and cooked on the stovetop!
I made this on the stovetop and baked my meatballs. Delicious! Will add this to my soup rotation! Thank you.
Delicious recipe. Followed pretty much to a T but made the meatballs smaller and baked them first for 20 minutes. Thank you!
Love it! Definitely add the parmesan rind (game changer).
Tips:
Added salt and red pepper flakes to broth
If you want left overs, keep the pasta on the side
I’ve made this with pork instead of Turkey and tortelloni instead of ditalini and both versions turned out perfect. Solid Italian soup base. I can see this easily converted into minestrone soup for a vegetarian version.
I had some ground turkey in the freezer and remembered this recipe! Followed instructions for the Instant Pot with the exception of 1% ground turkey, plain ol’ diced tomatoes vs. San Marzano, and panko instead of bread crumbs. Added a little seasoning to the meatballs since I didn’t use seasoned bread crumbs. Adding the parm rind really deepens the flavor.
Very filling and low on WW points if you are on that program!
So delicious! My meatballs always fall apart in the IP, so I baked them for about 5 minutes to brown them. I subbed crushed for diced tomatoes and spinach for zucchini based on what I already had. I also added a sprig of rosemary.My son had 3rds! Thanks for the recipe.
I made this tonight and it’s very, very good. I made it in my regular old pressure cooker.
Delicious recipe. Toddler approved!
Hmm I’m new to onstant pot, followed exactly. My noodles were undercooked. So I let them sit in the soup with everything turned off, and covered…. Anyone else have this problem??
Made this tonight but took the lazy way out and just browned the ground turkey with a bunch of Italian seasoning. I used a regular pot too lol. It needed more liquid making it this way so I doubled the broth. I spiced it up a bit too but what a yummy recipe!
Is the pasta pre cooked ? It looks cooked in the video but does not say in the recipe.
Thank you!
It says to quick release the meatballs and broth then add pasta and zucchini and cook 4 more minutes then quick release
Can I use ground beef instead of the ground turkey for the meatballs? Will cooking time change?
Awesome recipe. Lots of flavour. Will definately make again. I browned the meatballs on the stovetop and cooked them through with some chicken broth. I made the soup a couple of days later. They were tender and perfect.
Wow this soup is absolutely delicious and savory heaven! I made it in my Dutch oven, cooked the pasta separately so I can add in for leftovers. Another winning recipe Gina!
In the ingredients what is meant bye “rn” for basil?
4 to rn basil leaves, plus optional more for garnish
Typo.
4 torn basil leaves
Needs a lot of salt and some red pepper flakes – a little on the bland side otherwise.
Tasty! I like the addition of zucchini. I ended up browning my meatballs on a frying pan to reduce the amount of time cooking (two batches of meatballs + onions to fry is a lot of steps compared to other recipes)
So good. Meatballs were tender and the soup was well seasoned
Still a great recipe. I did not sauté the meatballs for fear that most of the meat would stick to the bottom of the instant pot. I just added them raw after making the broth, cooked for 15 minutes and THEN added the zucchini and pasta. It. is delicious and there was only one bowl left over for lunch the next day.
Everyone gives it an A.
Delicious
This was a big hit with my family! It was super easy to add meatless meatballs for my vegetarian daughter too. We can’t wait to eat this again!
Can you give directions for a crockpot, no InstaPot
I would say 8 hrs low.
This soup is great – if you use ground turkey breast you can reduce the ww points. Also, I would put in less pasta because of how much it expands. We also found we had to add more broth when serving as leftovers. But overall a hearty soup that made a great dinner on a cold night!
Hi Do you have instructions for this if you don’t have an Insta pot. Either on the stove or also do you have a crockpot
Yes it is listed in the post. “STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS:
Make this in a large pot, brown the meatballs in batches as directed and simmer the rest with exception of the pasta and zucchini covered on low heat 30 minutes. Add the pasta and zucchini, then cook according to package directions.”
We loved this soup. There’s a lot going on with zucchini and pasta adding nice texture. Did this stove top and substituted 28oz crushed tomatoes bc our family prefers no tomato chunks. Used Barilla Rotini protein + noodles and zucchini became tender quick maybe only needed half the time of the pasta. We didn’t have a ton of leftovers so I’m not sure how it would keep with the zucchini.
Thank you for also including stovetop directions! I don’t have an instant pot.
Can this recipe be doubled?
I just made a double batch! Won’t fit in my instant pot so I made it on the stove. I always double the veg.
Made this soup today. It’s a must to put the rind in, so delicious. I think next time I would put in more Spice for the meatballs and cook the pasta separate as it leaves a slight starchy taste. Overall I will definitively be making this again! 😋
Amazing!!!!!! Added extra veggies that’s it!!!👏👏
Can I make this in the crocpot?
I love these meatballs. Sometimes I make an extra batch just to eat on top of spaghetti squash with a light Parmesan white sauce I make. I do use Progresso Italian panko which has a few more calories but worth it and I do increase the veggies in this soup. It’s delicious.
This looks delicious!! Could you cook the meatballs in a nonstick pan on the stove or on a cookie sheet in the oven, instead of the instant pot? Even with spraying, I seem to have everything stick to my pot!
I made this last night and my husband and I both loved it. I used a can of white beans in place of the pasta but will change that to 2 cans next time. My husband also requested double the amount of vegetables next time.
I made this exactly following the recipe and directions, and I have to say that I love most of Gina’s recipes, this one was a bit of a disappointment. But I think it could be modified. Overall it is very bland, and the ratio of ditalini to broth is too high. It’s more like Spaghettios, which is why I think toddlers and youngsters would love it. For me, I would add some oregano to the broth, cut the ditalini down to 2.5 ounces, and spice up the meatballs somehow. The meatballs were very dry. In the past, I have added fat-free cottage cheese to the meatball recipes on this site, and maybe I would try that along with some red pepper flakes. I would also cook the ditalini separately so it wouldn’t soak up so much of the broth.
One last thing is that when I added some additional parm to the top of the bowl of soup, it melted into a gooey mess that stuck to my spoon. So I’m not sure I would spend the extra points on that. I didn’t dislike it; I just don’t love it. I plan to doctor up the leftovers.
Does the parmesan rind add anything to the point count?
Thanks for another great recipe! This is great for leftovers, I do recommend making extra broth for the leftovers. Huge hit in my home 🙂
What would I need to change to make this in the crock pot instead?
I’m sorry if this is a dumb question. I’m fairly new to the Instant Pot…
Are all the steps here using the Saute function until you get to Step 7 and 8, then you move into the Pressure Function? And you add the pasta uncooked? Thank you!
What a winner! I made this for the first time with guests over, and it was a huge hit. They raved over it and wanted more the next day. I 2.5X’d the recipe, and made very few changes. Couldn’t find the San Marzano tomatoes, so used crushed and diced combined (that’s what I had). I added more basil, both fresh and Gourmet Garden. I did the meatballs in a 16″ electric skillet and the rest in a stove-top stockpot, and cooked the pasta separately. Oh, Parmesan instead of Romano. I’m not sure any of those changes would really alter the taste that much, but if they did, they would likely detract from it. I’ll definitely be making this again, and can’t wait to try it exactly as written. Really impressed so far with the recipes on this site.
Yum! Hint: you can bake the meatballs on a cookie sheet in the oven which will save you time. Line the cookie sheet or baking pan with foil, and voila! No mess! No stress!
I did that and they were perfect! While they baked I chopped the veggies.
Thanks for this suggestion! I always destroy mini-meatballs when I cook them in the skillet, and never thought of baking them. Now I’m excited to make this soup!
What temp and for how long do you cook them?
This was absolutely amazing! My daughter even ate it and she always turns her nose up! The only change I made was one can of diced tomatoes and one of crushed. And do not skip the parmesan rind, you won’t be sorry!
I’ve calculated this twice and keep getting 9 Freestyle Points. Anyone else?
Hi Lindsey, are you using the recipe builder? The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.
The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.
Wow this turned out great! So easy but so tasty and full of vegetables and protein. This one will be added to the rotation.
This was really tasty. I took another reader’s advice and broiled my meatballs ( about 20 minutes, flipped halfway through to brown on both sides). I didn’t have any chopped tomatoes, just used my can of whole peeled tomatoes and squished them through my hands to make smaller ( an old trick my father taught me). I added A few grinds of pepper and sprinkled with parmesan cheese to complete my meal! Looking forward to trying it with beans next time
Another great recipe!!! Thank you so much Gina!!!
I made this for my weekly lunch and both my husband and son tasted it, then grabbed a bowl, devouring the entire pot in two days. It tastes wonderful, first day and as leftovers. Thank you for inspiring us to try a different way of eating that’s healthy and delicious!
Gina,
I absolutely love this recipe and it is certainly a crowd pleaser. This is my third time making this recipe and this time I timed myself to see how long it took. I’m aware that the total time says 30, but that was not my experience at all. It’s more like 25 min of pressure cooking and 45 min of prep and making the meatballs.
I totally agree- no way it’s 30 minutes- it took10 minutes just my IP to pressurize and sautéing the meatballs took another 15 minutes
Thank you for the feedback, I’ll adjust the times.
Delicious! I made this on the stove instead of the instant pot. Added some extra veggies I had in the refrigerator. Also cooked the pasta separately for family members who are cutting carbs. Whole family loved it. Will definitely make again.
I only calculate 3 points if this makes 8 servings? How did you.get 7?
When cooking on the stove top : after you add the pasta and zucchini, how long do you simmer? Do you cook the pasta and zucchini separate first? Thank you!!
Made this for dinner and it was delicious! I had one problem though – despite generously spraying the Instant Pot with oil, my meatballs stuck so badly that the first batch was ruined. I ended up browning the rest in the oven just to be sure I didn’t ruin the entire recipe. For the future, any tips on what I should do to prevent them from sticking?
How long did you bake and at what temperature? I was considering trying this as well, as I have not had great results browning meatballs in the instapot previously. .
I just made this tonight, and it’s great. I browned the meatballs in a nonstick pan with Pam on the stovetop.
How would you suggest to make this if you don’t have an instant pot?
There are stove top directions in the narrative.
When you added the zucchini and pasta-did you do a pressure cook for 4 minutes? I just want to make sure I plan enough time for it to pressurize.
Yes. It didn’t long to pressurize because it is so hot from cooking for 15 minutes!
Gina,
I am thinking of purchasing an instant pot…which one do you have?
Instant Pot. 6 qt 7 in 1
I love this recipe! Its healthy and easy and even my picky kids will eat it!
The only thing I change is cooking the meatballs separately in a nonstop pan as I find they stick terribly in the IP
Totally agree. I ended up putting them in the broiler (no fat/no oil). Much better result. Not sure how you saute these meatballs with cooking spray – no way!
This looks delicious! I’m due in a month and attempting to make healthy, GF freezer meals to have for after baby arrives. I just want to confirm the best way to go about freezing! Would you fully make this recipe and then put in freezer bags? Thanks!
Do the meatballs cook thoroughly if you don’t brown them ?
Mine didn’t seem to when I made it this week, I could see a little pink when I sliced them. I cut them before microwaving to cook them through. I was a little bummed because I was excited that it could be as simple as just tossing them in…
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious. I will be adding this to the family favorites.
This looks amazing. Do you know what the FS Points would be if you replaced the pasta with beans?
OMGoodness! This soup is AMAZING! I can’t wait for the leftovers for this evening meal.
This looks awesome!! I’m finally buying an Instant Pot….is a 6 qt one large enough so that I don’t have to cut your recipes in half?
Yes
This recipe is so simple and so delicious. Perfect for fall!
This looks amazing! Can you share directions using a slow cooker?
I haven’t used tried it yet.
can you make this in the slow cooker also ty
This made the whole family happy! I left out the bay leaves and cooked it on the stove. Wonderful!!! Thanks!
great!
My first attempt with the instant pot. A little thrown by the build pressure time but in the end this was fabulous. Added some extra veggies. Whole family loved it!
Another fantastic Skinnytaste meal!
The first time I made a recipe in the instapot and it was a success!! Very tasty and like other skinny taste recipes it did not disappoint. I forgot to buy zucchini so I used spinach like one person recommended. the only change I made was to brown the meatballs in a large sauté pan instead of the instapot. This is a keeper & will definitely make again. Thanks Gina!
I made this tonight and it’s my new favorite! It came out so delicious
Made this twice now! Super easy, fast to prepare, delicious, and kid-approved! Going into regular rotation!
Is it manual cook and high pressure OR soup/broth and high pressure?
Is it possible to do it in crockpot? I don’t have a hot pot.
Delicious but definitely took over an hour from start to finish. Your recipe says 30 minutes?
This was dinner last night! I somehow missed buying basil, so I threw in some Italian seasoning. I also used 99% lean ground Turkey. The cheese and breadcrumbs really flavored up the lean meat! My toddler AND 10 month old devoured it as well!
the soup looks delicious. Since I’m planning to make it soon, can you please tell me if I can make the meat balls from ground beef if i don’t have turkey available? Also, if I can use another type of pasta different from the one that you have used, will the recipe still work? Will it still taste good?
Of course!
I made this a few nights ago and it was delicious, just the thing for a cold, rainy, Northern California evening.
My daughter was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease. I made the meatballs with some crumbs from gluten free bread and added some Italian seasoning. I browned them in a large skillet because I was too lazy to do multiple batches in the Instant Pot. I cooked the soup in the Instant Pot. When it was time to add the ditalini, I measured out a portion for my daughter and finished hers on the stove top with GF pasta. I finished the rest in the Instant Pot. It worked out well, though there weren’t GF leftovers, much to my daughter’s dismay. I may make it totally GF next time.
Thank you for another wonderful recipe.
Soup is great but it took me way longer than 30 min total time as it says. Maybe thats the cook time under pressure..
I make this on the stove – I’m scared of instant pot! This is hands down of of my favorite recipes on this site (and make a ton of recipes from skinny taste ?) parm rinds in soup are my new favorite flavor enhacer! When my kids say “this tastes like a soup Mimi would make,” that’s a huge accomplishment! Thanks so much!
First, this recipe is AMAZING!!
I recently joined weight watchers freestyle and was so excited that I could still cook my favorite skinny taste instant pot meals, the only problem is that when I create a “food” so that I can easily add my meal, and enter the nutrition info on the weight watchers site it calculates 9 point (free style) however this recipe says 7 SP. Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks!
This soup was very delicious. Great recipe! I
I made this last night for dinner and it was fantastic! Next time I make it though I’ll brown the meatballs in a non stick pan. They’re a little fragile and it was hard to turn them in the instapot without breaking them apart. I will be making it again though. It was delicious! The parm cheese rind gives it nice depth.
Can you use 99% FF Ground turkey and reduce the points? Will the meatballs turn out with such lean turkey?
I just made this recipe today and it was delicious. I did it on the stove and it was perfect and easy. Browned meatballs first, took them out, did not clean the pan and continued with the recipe as directed on the recipe with the covered pan. I added dried basil and oregano instead of bay leaf. My picky daughter loved it too! Thank you for your amazing recipes!
Great recipe, as always!
I do think, that I will brown the meatballs in a skillet, the next time I make it. Yes, that’s another dish to clean, but I found that, the reaching into the deep pot to try and turn the meatballs, without breaking the meatballs, is a bit too tedious/difficult. So, next time I’ll brown them in a skillet.
everyone in my family LOVED this.. even my picky child that dislikes everything except eggos!!!!
my modifications:
for meatballs:
instead of Recorino = nutritional yeast
1 head of garlic instead of 1 clove
1-2 tsp dried parsley instead of fresh
for soup:
1 whole chopped onion instead of 1/2 c
1 head of garlic instead of 1 clove
1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes
14.5 oz of tomato sauce
4 cups homemade veggie broth
1 tsp dried basil vs fresh
and re: cooking – i didn’t pre-cook the meatballs. i did saute the onions, etc., but then dumped in everything else (except zucchini and ditalini), stirred it, then plopped in my little meatballs as i rolled them. they’re small so they cook in the broth during the cook time.
this was a HUGE hit in my house, thank you!!
I don’t have a pressure pot but improvised and the meatballs are in the oven on a stone baking dish and the soup is on the stove in a cast iron dutch oven. I didn’t have all the precise ingredients but used what I had on hand and it looks (and smells) great! Instead of diced tomatoes I found a can of crushed instead. Added a can of canelini beans and included the liquid to thicken the soup and a handful of lentils.
The zucchini and a little left over uncooked pasta I had in the cabinet is going in soon. Looks like it will make a nice hearty meal. I had extra onion and zucchini so they’re in freezer bags to use next time. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Turned out GREAT..!!
This is in my IP as I type. I’m so looking forward to the end result. Thank you.
This was a huge hit with my picky 6 year old. He asked me if I would cook it every day. My 5 and 2 year olds scarfed it down also. I made it with the little wheel pasta for added kid fun.
Awesome!!! Kid approval!!
WOWZA!
I have been following your recipes for the last 4 years. In college, your recipes brought me warmth & comfort as I battled through long hours of work and school and now as a young professional, I eat delicious meals that are healthy. Thank you Gina! You listened to your calling of creating tasty recipes for any skill level.
Sending you gratitude for everything you do!
Meghan
PS: this recipe was de-lish. So much flavor!
Thank you!!
Made this recipe tonight in my IP. It was amazing!! I eliminated the breadcrumbs and egg and parsley from the meatball, using ground turkey, cheese and garlic and they came out delicious. I also didn’t have zucchini on hand and it still turned out amazing! Actually used Trader Joe’s Brown Rice GF Penne also! Definitely will be making this again!! Thank you for being amazing and creating such wonderful and delicious recipes!! I haven’t had one yet that I didn’t like!
Thanks Tanya!
Loved this soup. We had sickness ravaging through our household so I made this in the crockpot and doubled the recipe to have it for a few days. It had SOO much flavor and everyone loved it. I forgot to add the pasta…I actually didn’t see it mentioned in the ingredient list, but I may have missed it. I will definitely make this one again!! —I didn’t even add any parmesan to the finished product.
This was great! Thanks Gina! My husband and I cooked the turkey meatballs ahead of time on The stove top. And then I cooked the rest of the soup in the crockpot overnight on low for eight hours and then added cooked pasta and zucchini in the morning. It was a hit at our church potluck lunch today. Will be making again.
This soup was amazing! Will definitely be making it again 🙂
Made this tonight. Was delicious. Families only request was to add a bit of spice next time.
I’m having a hard time finding wheat ditalini. One brand I noticed listed wheat semolina in the ingredients. Is this the same thing? Thanks and can’t wait to try it out!
any small pasta shape will work
Delicious soup!! I loved that it tastes hearty without all the calories. It reminded my boyfriend and I a bit like minestrone soup. The ability to cook in the instant pot added bonus points for me!
I was looking for your slow cooker minestrone recipe which is one of my all time favorites when I came across this new recipe. I had all of the ingredients on hand so I made it and it was fantastic! The meatballs were delicious. My fiancée says it’s a keeper! Thanks for another great recipe
Love this recipe! Definitely kept the pasta separate and enjoyed for lunches all week.
Made this tonight. Really delicious. Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow.
Made this yesterday. II don’t own an Instant Pot, so I used the stove top instructions. I also browned my meatballs in the oven instead. Worked fine for me. It had great flavor and I’ll definitely make it again with a few changes.
I will make my meatballs smaller, I know it said mini meatballs but I was in a hurry so mine ended up being 1″ diameter. too big for soup. Also, I will only use 1 or 2 oz of noodles. I used on 4 (recipe says 5) and it was wayyyyy too much. I know it says the liquid will continue to absorb so you may need to add water, but I added another 4 cups a broth and and 2 cups of water and it still wasn’t enough to keep it as bothy as I prefer. Lastly, I’ll add spinach next time too just to increase my veggie intake.
In summary, this is a great soup. Definitely a keeper! Thanks!
This was absolutely delicious, loved everything about it.
Absolutely delicious I made mine in a crock pot
Browned turkey meatballs on stove then added to other ingredients in crock pot
Cooked on low for 6hours
Any way to lower the sodium?
Yes, if you use plain bread crumbs. Or use lower sodium chicken broth.
I made this soup tonight for supper and my family raved. Made it on the stovetop since I don’t own an instant pot and substituted a can of small white beans for the pasta–which Gina suggested as an option. It was delicious!! The turkey meatballs were virtually indistinguishable from beef.
I made this last night an my husband and I loved it. I had trouble with the meat balls sticking when browning in my insta pot, so I just browned on the stove top. Since beans are zero points, I added pasta and beans. Delicious!
Thank you for the meal plans each week.! Since there’s only two of us I don’t cook every night, but love the leftovers!
do you have to use and instant pot
Stove top directions are noted in the recipe.
I use your meal plans every week! I’m a hairdresser and y’all to tons of clients each day. I have recommended your site to so many and co workers! We all love your recipes and meal plans! Keep them coming!!
thank you!!
This was absolutely delicious, so much so that my husband and I both burned our mouths trying to devour the steaming hot soup. I definitely will not brown the meatballs in the instant pot next time. Even waiting for the instant pot to indicate the pot was hot didn’t prevent the meatballs from being very hard to turn and sticking. This also added to the time to clean the bottom before sautéing the veggies. I have a tiny kitchen and ADHD, so I sometimes have to read things many times (and still put the zucchini in with the other veggies – was still fabulous). I began pulling the ingredients out at 4 PM. We didn’t eat until 6:30. I think baking the meatballs or using a separate nonstick pan would have saved a lot of time and grief. One last comment – I’m GF and used La Veneziane corn ditalini. It was excellent. I will still make this again but probably over a weekend.
Great recipe! I did have a problem with sticking meatballs so next time I’ll try plopping them into the hot liquid. Also, I added the pasta into the soup and put the leftovers in the fridge. The pasta soaked up most of the broth overnight so next time I will keep the pasta separate and add some to each bowlful.
If swapping out white beans for the pasta, when should those be added? Before cooking for 15 min or afterwards, along with the zucchini?
beans can be added in the beginning
I made this on the stove top and it was excellent. Great for leftovers too. I used a small bit of oil to brown the meatballs, which worked for me much better than spray. I didn’t have grated parm so I used shredded Romano in the meatballs. I also made the meatballs very small. Used higher amount of veggies than called for.
This soup was DELICIOUS! I used lean beef instead of Turkey. The meatballs were so tasty and easy to brown in my Instant Pot. Thanks!
This recipe is fabulous. Made it I
on the stovetop.
I have tried everyway I know how to pin this but I cannot do so….very frustrating as I want to make this soup tonight ????
Excellent recipe! My husband and I are now fighting over the leftovers.
not sure what I am doing wrong but the turkey meatballs totally fell apart and stuck to the bottom of the pan every time I trie to turn them. They were way too soft. So instead of meatballs, I basically have ground turkey in this soup. : (((
You can’t turn them so fast, they need to brown and when they easily move then turn. Also make sure you cook in batches.
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
Refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then heat on the stove. You can freeze without the pasta and add when you reheat if you wish.
If you substitute the white beans for the pasta, do you need to drain and rinse the beans?
yes
I would.
I made this with extra veggies and the Weight Watchers couscous and it is AMAZING. I love so many of your recipes! Thank you, Gina!
How long do you have to brown the meatballs before they don’t stick!? I feel like i could be here all day..surprised no one else has commented. Might just skip the browning stage!
Nevermind! Tried again and I think the trick is to wait until the pot is hot before dropping them in; that or at first I used Trader Joe’s olive oil spray, but then tried PAM which seemed to work much better.
I also needed to use much more breadcrumbs than called for in order for the meatballs not to stick.
Substituted the pasta with white beans and it came out beautifully! Freezing my leftovers!
Hi. I can’t wait to try this recipe this weekend. I just want to double check that the tomatoes you used were diced and not stewed? Thank you!
correct
How many servings does this make, because my husband was ready to eat the whole thing! It was delicious.
To keep it more keto, I left out the pasta– the zucchini was nice to have something floating like pasta. I bought meatballs at the meat counter at Whole Foods and that saves a lot of time. Browning them was worth it. I thought they might be tough from so much browning, but cooking them in the soup made them deliciously tender! This will probably become a weekly treat! Thanks.
Another winner recipe! Been a fan for years and have gotten many others hooked on your nutritious and delicious recipes. Do you have any instant pot dessert recipes such as carrot cake or cheesecakes in the works?
I wish that Tottorosso were sold here in Canada but I have never seen them in any stores. For my fellow Canadians, I highly recommend using Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes as an alternative. Also, Better Than Bouillon bases makes for awesome rich and flavourful broths.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I love the calorie count and it made enough for leftovers for lunch/ dinner over the weekend. One serving was very filling, Thank you for sharing this!
This soup is delicious! Will definitely make it again.
About how long did it take for your instapot to build up enough pressure from sauté to high pressure? I’m trying to figure
out if I’m doing something wrong…
not sure, that does not effect the time you press on the machine.
Is the pasta cooked/uncooked when you add to recipe?
Thanks
uncooked
I could have had two Kryptonian sous chefs and it’s still an hour easy. Without them this recipe is 90 minutes plus but is listed as 30 minutes. The Instant pot step alone is 30 minutes. That time should be adjusted. It is delicious though. 🙂
I agree! The time given was deceptive!
Love all your recipes!!
What is parmesan rind?
the part you throw out, the outer part
Gina, first time ever cooking with a parm rind.. does it typically melt in the soup? Mine had a wax coat which I removed then cut the hard rind off and it melted into a blob, I removed it but just wondering if that is normal or if I did something wrong. Cooking on stove top on low
Sometimes it melts, I just toss it after
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have zucchini on hand, so I threw in spinach instead.
I wonder how the points would change with 99% Fat free turkey.
There is an asterisk after “5 ounces ditalini pasta (1 cup)*” — to what does this asterisk refer?
use gluten-free as needed
Hi There, first, I’m a big fan of your recipes and cooking style on your site and cookbooks 🙂
About how long did it take you to brown each batch of meatballs?
Thanks!
I baked my meatballs in the oven at 400F for roughly 22 minutes. This way I was able to cook them all at once. Delicious too!
I am a pretty good soup maker but this is the most delicious soup I have made in ages. Counting WW points but it was really hard not to have a second bowl.
Hi, how many points do you think it would be if you took out the pasta?
Sorry don’t have that info handy.
Can this be made in the crock pot?
Yes, I would bake or broil the meatballs so they hold their shape, cook on low 8 hours, add the zucchini the last hour and cook the pasta separate.
Do you have to use an instant pot for this recipe? Could you use a crockpot or stovetop?
Stove top directions are in the narrative. For the slow cooker I would bake or broil the meatballs so they hold their shape, cook on low 8 hours, add the zucchini the last hour and cook the pasta separate.
Can I use frozen turkey meatballs? And can I make this in slow cooker?
This looks yummy, do you have a slow cooker recipe ?
Can’t print recipes….USELESS!!!!
Did you click the print button near the ingredients?
It’s not useless. That’s extremely rude. Gina works extremely hard on the website, recipes, and books. Seems like it was a user error.
I had no issues at all!
I’m on WW and I’m wondering how much lower the points may be if you substitute the white beans for the pasta. Any idea?
Sorry I don’t have that info handy
“Linda” replied 5 free style points/serving if substituting white beans for pasta.
Could you make this with precooked turkey meatballs?
If you wish.
Can this be done either in a slow cooker or even on the stove?
You can make this on stovetop or slow cooker. I used stove top before I got the instant pot
Can I make this in the Instant Pot Mini?
If it fits, maybe half?
How many points would it be if you substituted beans for pasta?
5 oz of ditalini pasta is 15 Freestyle points. Beans are 0. So after doing the math, each serving would be 5 freestyle points with the substitution of beans for pasta.
Thanks, Linda!
@Gina, can you concur that this is correct?
Could you make this in the slow cooker?
Hi Gina! This looks amazing. Perfect for an icy day near Philadelphia! Thank you for all the instant pot recipes! You are my go to for recipes using my new favorite item!
Thanks Mary Beth.
Hi Gina, Love your recipes! Can this be made on the stove top ?
Yes, stove top directions are in the narrative.
How do I find the narrative ?
All the wording before the actual recipe. 🙂
This recipe looks delicious & I can’t wait to try it.
You might want to add : remove the bay leaves before serving.
***Although bay leaves add great flavor, they are not edible & can pose a choking hazard
Hi Gina. Can you make the meatballs in advance and freeze them? If so freeze the meatballs uncooked or cooked. Thanks!!
Sure, either works
Does this come out ok when cooking on stove top instead of insta pot? Should I brown the garlic first or can I really just put it all in the pot on the stove (less the pasta and zucchini as noted)?
Yes its great, and no need to.
Hi Gina, I am new to your site and am loving your recipes so far.! I’m from the UK, and was wondering if you have conversions from cups to grams? All your recipes list cups of ingredients but we work in grams ????
Thanks
Rachel
Can I make this in the mini instant pot? It only holds 3 qts?
Not sure
No. We just tried and it’s too much. We had to pull out the 6 qt!
Hi Gina, can you tell me which instapot you have? Thanks!
6 qt 7 in 1
Made this tonight! SO good! Thanks for yet another hit, Gina!!!
Can this be made any other way, …rather than the Instant Pot?? I do not have one but would love to make this…it looks delicious!!!
Yes stove top directions are in the narrative and for the slow cooker I would bake or broil the meatballs so they hold their shape, cook on low 8 hours, add the zucchini the last hour and cook the pasta separate.
Can’t wait to make this this week! Would you be able to use crushed tomatoes instead of San Marzanos? I’m just trying to use everything in my pantry haha
I don’t see why not.
Excellent soup! Everyone had seconds!
Look great! When you add the pasta and zucchini to the Instant Pot and cook 4 more minutes, do you mean 4 minutes after it gets to the correct pressure again?
You press 4 minutes. Don’t worry how much time it takes to get to pressure.
I’m confused about this also. When you press 4 min does it go back up to pressure though?
Yes, don;t worry about the time it takes to go to pressure, just press 4 minutes.
Hi ! I’m new and I’m confused with the points. You have two beside the recipe and I don’t know, is it joined points or one or the other ?
Thank you
Nikole
The new program uses freestyle points. The old points plus is the other you see.
Looks delicious! Can this be made in the crock pot?
Directions list tomato paste for the meatballs but does not list it in the ingredients. Do you use tomato paste, if so, how much?
No tomato paste.
Love all your recipes! There hasn’t been one that wasn’t a hit at my house. I have been looking for your Revised Meal Planning Cookbook and sadly cannot find it anywhere. Do you have any suggestions? I appreciate it! Have a great day.
Thank you! It is going to be available in April, sorry for the delay.
I see that you have tomato paste in the meatball directions but I don’t see it in the ingredient list?
Sorry I took it out
How many meatballs did you factor per serving to reach the calorie estimation? This looks awesome!!!
If you make 30 meatballs you will get 5 each.
I have been making some of your recipes and they are so amazing I don’t know how you do it! So fresh and healthy and the best soups ever !! So far I made the garlic knots, zucchini soup and this Italian meatball is on the stove I’ll make everything it all looks great !! Keep up the great work Gina much appreciation !