It's super easy, family-friendly, and comes together in just a few minutes of prep. I love tossing everything in the slow cooker in the morning and coming home to a warm, cozy soup that everyone actually eats.

Meatball meals like this orzo soup are a lifesaver!

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Ingredients

Meatballs - I usually grab small frozen beef or turkey meatballs. They're convenient, cook perfectly in this orzo beef soup, and taste homemade. Fresh meatballs work too.
Chicken broth - The base of all the cozy goodness. You can swap with veggie broth if you want a lighter touch in this no tomato soup recipe.
Carrots & celery - Classic flavor combo. Slice them thin so they cook evenly and add that natural sweetness.
Orzo - Tiny pasta that makes this orzo pasta soup feel extra hearty. Use any small pasta you like, just watch the cooking time.
Spinach - Adds a pop of green and a gentle, earthy taste. Kale or Swiss chard can work too.
Italian seasoning - Simple, aromatic, and perfect for this kind of soup. If you like fresh herbs, toss in some parsley at the end.

📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.

How To Make Italian Meatball Orzo Soup

Prepare the slow cooker base: Place meatballs, broth, carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker.
Cook: Cover and cook on Low for 4-5 hours or High for 2-3 hours, until vegetables are tender and meatballs are heated through.

Add the pasta: Add the pasta and continue cooking on High for 20-30 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
Add the spinach: Add chopped spinach and stir until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve warm.

For more Italian style recipes, try this Italian Vegetable Stew, these Italian Baked Turkey Meatballs and Cold Italian Pasta Salad with Salami.

My Favorite Tools

Wood Ladle Set of 3

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Slow Cooker Crock Pot

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Self-Sharpening Knife Block Set

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Measuring Set

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Julia's Tip

Don't skip dicing the veggies up small; they cook faster and taste better this way.

Tips

You can totally use fresh meatballs if that's what you have at home.
Orzo cooks super fast, so add it toward the end to avoid mushy pasta.
Spinach wilts quickly, so toss it in at the last minute.
Low and slow gives the meatballs max flavor, but High works if you're short on time.
Italian seasoning is forgiving; just sprinkle it generously.
Salt and pepper can always be adjusted at the end.
You can add other veggies like zucchini or peas if you want extra color.

Serving Suggestions

My favorite way is to serve it with this Flourless Lentil Bread! So Good!
Tomato Basil Mozzarella Salad or a simple green salad
Roasted Zucchini, Squash and Tomatoes

Freezing And Storing Instructions

This soup is great for meal prep; it actually tastes better the next day.

To Store. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To Freeze. Freeze before adding pasta for best texture, up to 2 months. Add fresh pasta after thawing.
To Make Ahead. Assemble everything except the pasta and spinach, and cook when ready.

More Quick Soup Recipes

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Recipe Card

Julia

Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup (with Orzo)

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Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup is a quick, healthy, and easy dinner. Cozy, family-friendly, and perfect with orzo pasta or meatball meals.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 10

Servings: 6 people

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 65

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition

Ingredients

½ pound (225 g) small frozen meatballs (beef or turkey)
8 cups chicken broth
2 carrots peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks sliced
½ cup small pasta like orzo
4 ounces fresh spinach about 2 cups, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

Method

Prepare the soup base: Place meatballs, broth, carrots, celery, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into the slow cooker.
½ pound (225 g) small frozen meatballs, 8 cups chicken broth, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Cook: Cover and cook on Low for 4-5 hours or High for 2-3 hours, until vegetables are tender and meatballs are heated through.
Add pasta: Add the pasta and continue cooking on High for 20-30 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
½ cup small pasta
Add spinach: Add chopped spinach and stir until wilted (about 2-3 minutes).
4 ounces fresh spinach
Season and serve: Adjust seasoning if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 65kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 125mgPotassium: 452mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 5181IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg

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Need more soup recipes this week? Try this Turkey Meatball Soup.

Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.

Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.

Hearty Meatball Recipes

Comments

Tricia B.

August 28, 2025 at 7:38 am

Julia, this soup looks amazing - and need I say "tasty"! I love Italian cooking, and with cooler weather coming to the South real soon I have my Slow Cooker out to make a lot of your recipes, as well as this soup! I have everything to make this except the frozen meatballs which I plan on getting this week. I will rate recipe after making... will let you know.
Thanks for sharing this and other recipes which I plan on making - soon!! I am glad I came across your blog/site!!

Ingredients

How To Make Italian Meatball Orzo Soup