I don’t know about you, but I believe dinner should always be easy to make, and quick as well. And taking a few shortcuts is OK in my book if it means I still get a healthy dinner on the table that my whole family will enjoy.
Raise your hand if you’re with me! 🙋♀️
That’s what I thought. So you know you can’t go wrong with a hearty soup chock full of yummy vegetables, frozen meatballs, and pasta. And since we are making this in our Instant Pot today you might not even have time to set the table before this dish is ready.
Ok so let’s dig in…
Ingredients For This Instant Pot Chicken Meatball Soup
- Carrots – You want this finely diced so they cook quickly.
- Onions – Again, finely dice these.
- Frozen meatballs – This is what makes this dish a piece of cake. You can use ready store-bought meatballs or make your own and freeze them so you can make this soup whenever you need a quick dinner on the table. Beef or turkey work, but I prefer chicken!
- Pasta – We used ditalini pasta, which are like tiny tubes. But any small pasta shape would work. Macaroni is of course perfect for this soup.
- Broth – We used chicken broth since we are using chicken meatballs. But if you are using beef meatballs, I recommend using beef broth to keep flavors consistent.
- Bouillon powder – This gives more beef flavor to the dish.
- Seasonings and spices. Once the soup is ready, you can season with salt and pepper to your liking. Top with some parsley and parmesan cheese for a perfect way to complement the soup.
How To Make This Meatball Soup
Like I said this instant pot soup couldn’t be easier.
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Combine all ingredients in pressure cooker and secure lid, making sure vent is sealed.
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Cook on manual high pressure for 7 minutes, and do manual quick release when done cooking.
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Top with parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.
Tips For Making This Easy Recipe
- Dice Small. Make sure your onions and carrots are finely diced so they cook quickly.
- Season To Your Liking. I like to season my meatball soup before it cooks, but then after it’s done you may want to adjust and a little more salt or pepper to your liking! You could always add a sprinkle of red pepper for a little heat!
- Use What You Have. Only have vegetable broth? Use it. Turkey meatballs in the freezer, swap and use those! Don’t let a few minor changes stop you from making this easy instant pot soup.
- Freeze Leftovers! I love freezing any soup that’s leftover. It makes for a quick lunch later or last minute supper. Just let the soup cool completely before freezing. It will freeze for up to 3 months.
- Keep in mind the “closed pot time” when planning for dinner. While this soup only takes 7 minutes, to cook, the pot needs time to build up pressure to cook. This takes about 20 minutes, so total cooking time is just under 30 minutes.
One other little tip: If you happen to have a few extra minutes, consider first sautéing the onions and carrots, before putting the soup to cook.
Chicken Meatball Soup FAQ’s
Can I Use Fresh Meatballs?
If you would like to use fresh, cooked meatballs, simply cook pasta first, then when done cooking, do a manual release and remove the lid. Press cancel, then sauté, and add the cooked meatballs. Stir till warmed through.
Can I Use A Different Broth?
Absolutely. Will it change the flavor? Yes, but still delicious!
Can I Use A Different Pasta?
Of course! We recommend a small pasta shape – like ditalini (what you see in the photos) or a macaroni. But oreccheite, orzo, rotini, or farfelle I think would all work well in this meatball soup.
Can I Use Turkey or Beef Meatballs?
You definitely can. You might want to then use beef broth to pair with it if you do.
Can I Freeze Leftovers?
I love freezing any soup that’s leftover. It makes for a quick lunch later or last minute supper. Just let the soup cool completely before freezing. It will freeze for up to 3 months.
What do I serve with Chicken Meatball Soup?
We love serving it just some crusty bread on the side. You can always go the extra mile, and make your own like these Easy Bread Knots With Everything But the Bagel Seasoning.
Of course soup and salad are a classic pairing. Try pairing with this Early Spring Salad or Farmers Market Salad.
More healthy & yummy recipes
Besides this instant pot meatball soup, we love our Instant Pot around here. So if you do too, then be sure to check out these other instant pot recipes:
- Instant Pot Korean Beef Tacos
- Instant Pot Chicken & Rice Soup
- Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo (with Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce)
- Skillet Turkey Meatballs & Rice
- Slow Cooker New Mexico Pork Posole
If you love the recipe, be sure to let me know in the comment section and drop me a 5-star review! 🥰
Chicken Meatball Soup
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Meatball Soup
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrots diced
- ¼ cup onions diced
- 20 meatballs frozen
- 1.5 cup macaroni pasta
- 4 cups broth chicken or beef depending on what type of meatballs you're using
- 1 tbsp beef bouillon powder or ` beef bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in pressure cooker and secure lid, making sure vent is sealed.
- Cook on manual high pressure for 8 minutes, and do manual quick release when done cooking.
- Top with parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- If you would like to use fresh, cooked meatballs, simply cook pasta first, then when done cooking, do a manual release and remove the lid. Press cancel, then sauté, and add the cooked meatballs. Stir till warmed through.
- I love freezing any soup that’s leftover. It makes for a quick lunch later or last minute supper. Just let the soup cool completely before freezing. It will freeze for up to 3 months.
Elizabeth says
I love this recipe! The flavor is phenomenal. If I would like to use wild rice, do I need to change the cook time?
Kate says
Made this for dinner yesterday and it was perfect! The flavors were incredible and it only took a few minutes for me to get dinner ready.
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey says
A warm, cosy and delicious soup that is packed with flavours, an ideal dish to keep making this season..IP makes process so much easier.
Loreto Nardelli says
My hand is up. When workweek are busy time is of the essence! The thought of this soup just makes me think HEARTY! Forget hungry man dinner this would be so much better. Love dialing oasta and those meatballs would be so good with that rustic bread! Totally yummy and [email protected]
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
Oh my sweet heavens! This looks absolutely amazing and perfect on a cool winter night! I cannot wait to make this, this week. I have all of the ingredients on hand and a fresh loaf of crusty bread. Thank you so much for sharing!
Marisa says
I don’t have an Instant pot but my daughter does so I gave her this recipe. She made it and shared it with her dad and I. It was delicious. Anyone who has an Instant pot should absolutely make this recipe — it has my mouth watering just thinking about it.
Leslie says
This is the perfect recipe for my family! I LOVE soup but my husband will only eat soup with a lot of meat. My kids LOVE meatballs so this is a win for all of us!
Kathryn Donangelo says
This soup was so comforting and perfect for the chilly days last week. I loved the hearty meatballs in this recipe and it also made great leftovers! Next time I will make a double batch.
Tiff says
Made this exactly like the recipe. However, the title of the recipe says chicken meatball soup, yet the recipe tells you to use beef broth. So I used chicken meatballs with beef broth. Found it odd, but figured that was the magic secret getting all the great reviews. It was ok. Didn’t love it. Just wish the ingredient listing reflected the title. The receipe title shouldn’t say chicken if the ingredients are for beef. Heads up for anyone who jumps to the receipe.
Andrea Howe says
Hi there, In the recipe title and ingredient list it does say to use chicken or beef broth, depending on what type of meatball you are using. I added an additional note in the recipe card though. Thank you for the feedback
dishnthekitchen says
I love everything about this soup…but mostly I love meatballs in soup. And that it’s quick and easy. And nutritious. And made in the Instant Pot. Everything.
kerri says
Delicious! Any time I can get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes it’s a good day! This looks amazing. My family can’t wait to try it!
veenaazmanov says
This Instant Pot Meat Ball soup looks delicious and definitely a comforting meal option. A total filler and I love the combination making it yummy.
Shelley says
Yep yep – I’m definitely raising my hand high! Smart shortcuts can make allll the difference in being able to give my family a healthy homemade dinner, vs. having to grab takeout on busy nights. Love that this recipe uses my Instant Pot to be even FASTER! And that it’s freezable (in case I ever happen to have any left over lol)!