This Trader Joe’s Chicken Meatball Soup is a comforting and convenient recipe, which uses the famous pre-cooked chicken meatballs and a shortcut mirepoix base. It’s a healthy 20-minute weeknight savior, ready in no time.
Jump to RecipeTrader Joes Chicken Meatball Soup Ingredients
- 1 package (12 oz) Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Chicken Meatballs (or homemade)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 container (approx. 10 oz) Trader Joe’s Mirepoix (diced carrots, onions, and celery)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 carton (32 oz) Organic Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 cup water (optional, to stretch the broth)
- ½ cup dry Orzo pasta (or Ditalini)
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning (or dried oregano)
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach (or kale)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
How To Make Trader Joes Chicken Meatball Soup
- Sauté the veggies: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the container of Mirepoix (carrots, onions, celery) and sauté for 5–7 minutes until the onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add aromatics: Stir in the minced garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for another minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Simmer the broth: Pour in the chicken broth and the water. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Cook the pasta: Once boiling, stir in the dry orzo pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and let the pasta cook for about 7 minutes (or 2 minutes less than the package directions), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Heat the meatballs: While the pasta is cooking, slice the Trader Joe’s chicken meatballs in half (optional, makes them easier to eat) or leave them whole. Add them to the pot and simmer for 3–4 minutes until they are heated through.
- Wilt the greens: Turn off the heat. Stir in the fresh baby spinach. The residual heat from the soup will wilt the spinach perfectly in about 30 seconds without overcooking it.
- Season and serve: Taste the broth and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top generously with grated Parmesan cheese.
Recipe Tips
- Using the Mirepoix: The Trader Joe’s Mirepoix is a huge time-saver. If you don’t have it, simply chop 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 2 stalks of celery yourself.
- Pasta choice: Orzo is a rice-shaped pasta that cooks quickly and fits perfectly on a spoon with the meatballs. If you use a larger pasta shape like rotini, you may need to add more broth as it will absorb more liquid.
- Meatball variation: This recipe works with any flavor of TJ’s meatballs. The classic Chicken Meatballs work best for a traditional “Italian Wedding” style soup, but the Ginger Chicken Meatballs work great if you swap the Italian seasoning for ginger and soy sauce.
- Preventing mushy pasta: If you plan to have leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls. If stored in the soup, the pasta will continue to absorb the broth overnight and become mushy.
What To Serve With Trader Joes Chicken Meatball Soup
This light soup needs crusty sides to make it a full meal.
- Garlic Bread: Perfect for dipping in the broth.
- Ciabatta Roll: Trader Joe’s sells excellent bake-at-home rolls.
- Caesar Salad: A crisp, cold contrast to the hot soup.
- Bruschetta: Adds a tomatoey crunch.
How To Store Trader Joes Chicken Meatball Soup
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that the soup will be much thicker the next day as the pasta absorbs the liquid.
- Freeze: This soup freezes well without the pasta. Freeze the broth, veggies, and meatballs for up to 3 months. Add fresh cooked pasta when reheating.
- Reheat: Add a splash of water or extra broth to the pot when reheating to loosen the consistency.
Trader Joes Chicken Meatball Soup Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 280kcal
- Protein: 22g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fat: 10g
- Saturates: 2.5g
- Sugar: 4g
- Salt: 1.1g
Nutrition information is estimated per serving (based on 4 servings).
FAQs
Do I need to thaw the meatballs first?
If using frozen meatballs, yes, it helps to thaw them slightly so they don’t cool down the soup too much. However, you can toss them in frozen; just add an extra 5 minutes to the simmering time in step 5.
Can I make this low carb?
Yes. Simply omit the orzo pasta. You can replace it with cauliflower rice or just add more vegetables like zucchini or green beans to bulk it up.
Is the broth store-bought?
This recipe assumes store-bought carton broth for speed, but homemade bone broth will elevate the flavor significantly if you have it on hand.
Trader Joes Chicken Meatball Soup Recipe
Course: SoupsCuisine: Italian-AmericanDifficulty: EasyServings
4
servingsPrep time
5
minutesCooking time
15
minutesCalories
280
kcalA quick and healthy Italian-style wedding soup utilizing Trader Joe’s convenient mirepoix and pre-cooked chicken meatballs.
Ingredients
1 pkg Trader Joe’s Chicken Meatballs
1 container Mirepoix (carrot, onion, celery)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup orzo pasta
2 cups baby spinach
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Sauté the mirepoix vegetables in olive oil until soft.
- Add garlic and Italian seasoning; cook for 1 minute.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
- Add orzo pasta and cook for 7 minutes.
- Add chicken meatballs and simmer until heated through.
- Stir in spinach until wilted.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve with Parmesan.
Notes
- If you are using frozen meatballs instead of the refrigerated ones, add them to the broth at the same time as the pasta to ensure they are fully heated through.
- Slicing the meatballs in half or quarters makes the soup easier to eat and ensures you get a piece of chicken in every spoonful.
- You may need to add an extra cup of water or broth if the soup sits for a while, as the orzo is very starchy and acts like a sponge.
