This Italian Meatball Soup Is a Rich, Savory Weeknight Dinner

Are you tired of your regular rotation of Tuesday night meals? Would you rather eat your winter coat than stomach another baked chicken breast? Colu Henry, author of the cookbook Better at Home, has a flavorful solution that will taste like it came straight from your nonna's kitchen — even though it comes together in just 30 minutes.

Her cappelletti pasta with meatballs in broth strikes the balance between simplicity and luxury. To make the dish, you'll place mortadella and prosciutto in a food processor and pulse until ground; mix with pork, pecorino cheese, and seasonings to ensure a flavorful bite. Bake these bad boys, then cook your pasta in the stock of your choice until delightfully tender. Dunk your finished meatballs in the soup, and enjoy.

"If you don’t want to make the soup, make the meatballs anyway!" Henry points out. "They’d be delightful tossed in a red tomato sauce and served on their own or with spaghetti. They also freeze very well, should you want to batch them ahead of time." They’re the kind of versatile meatballs you can stash for whenever you need to feel like a pro chef.

Cappelletti in Brodo with Mortadella Meatballs

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

for the meatballs:

• 4 ounces (115 g) mortadella, roughly chopped
• 4 ounces (115 g) prosciutto, roughly chopped
• 8 ounces (225 g) ground pork 
• Nutmeg
• 1⁄4 cup (13 g) finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1⁄2 cup (40 g) panko bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1⁄2 cup (50 g) grated pecorino cheese

for the soup:

• 6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium chicken broth
• 6 ounces (170 g) dried cappelletti pasta
• Chopped parsley, for garnish 
• Grated pecorino, for serving 
• Freshly ground black pepper 

Instructions

1. Make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, combine the mortadella and prosciutto and pulse until it has a similar consistency to the ground pork.
3. In a large bowl, combine the mortadella/prosciutto mixture, ground pork, nutmeg, parsley, panko, egg, and pecorino. With your hands or a large spoon, mix together until everything is well combined. With damp hands, roll the pork mixture into balls 3⁄4 to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 cm) in diameter; it should yield about 20 meatballs.
4. Place the meatballs on the lined pan and bake until they are cooked through, about 12 minutes, flipping halfway through to ensure both sides get golden brown. (Alternatively, you could pan-fry these in olive oil, but I don’t. I’m a lazy cook and prefer this tidier version.)
5. Meanwhile, for the soup: In a pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, stirring frequently to ensure it’s not sticking to the bottom of the pot.
6. Divide the meatballs among bowls and ladle the broth and pasta over top. Sprinkle a bit of parsley over each serving and pass more pecorino at the table. Finish with a few good turns of black pepper. 

Taken from Better at Home by Colu Henry. Published by Abrams 2026.