Whole 30 Whole30 Italian Meatball Soup

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time35 min

This hearty, tomato-rich soup is the kind of meal that makes you forget you're eating clean — it's deeply satisfying, loaded with vegetables, and built around tender, herb-scented meatballs that bring serious Italian-American comfort to the bowl. The meatball blend of ground beef and pork gets seasoned with fennel seeds, oregano, and fresh parsley, then baked at high heat until browned and cooked through before ever hitting the broth. Almond flour stands in for the usual breadcrumbs, keeping everything grain-free and compliant without sacrificing the texture that holds a good meatball together. The soup base is a classic soffritto of onion, carrot, and celery simmered with garlic, crushed tomatoes, and chicken broth — simple, clean ingredients that build a genuinely rich flavor. Zucchini and baby spinach go in toward the end so they stay bright and just-tender rather than mushy. A handful of torn fresh basil over the top at serving pulls the whole thing together with a pop of freshness. This one serves four and reheats beautifully, making it a smart batch-cook option for a busy reset week.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the meatballs

1 lb ground beef (80/20)
Kroger Ground Beef 80/20 Simple Truth 80% Lean Natural Ground Beef Harris Teeter Premium 80% Lean Ground Beef SunFed Ranch 100% Grass Fed 80% Lean Organic Ground Beef Brick Kroger 80/20 Ground Beef
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½ lb ground pork
1 large egg
3 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp fennel seeds
¾ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the soup

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
3 stalks celery, sliced ¼-inch thick
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into ½-inch half-moons
3 cups baby spinach

For serving

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, egg, almond flour, parsley, oregano, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — do not overwork. Roll into 1.5-inch balls (about 24 meatballs) and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

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