DutchSoup

Traditional Dutch Tomato Soup with Meatballs

Tomatensoep met balletjes is the ultimate Dutch childhood comfort food — a vibrant, slightly sweet tomato soup loaded with tiny seasoned meatballs and thin vermicelli noodles. This is the soup every Dutch kid grew up eating on cold school days, and it’s just as wonderful as an adult. Warming, simple, and deeply nostalgic.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 30 min

Serves 4–6

Easy

Ingredients

For the Soup:
2 tbsp (30g) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (800g / 28 oz) crushed tomatoes
4 cups (1 litre) chicken or beef broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 oz (85g) thin vermicelli pasta
For the Balletjes (Meatballs):
7 oz (200g) ground beef (or mixed beef and pork)
2 tbsp fine breadcrumbs
1 egg yolk
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

1
Combine all meatball ingredients and mix until just combined. Roll into very small balls, roughly marble-sized. Place on a plate and refrigerate while you make the soup.
2
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3
Add crushed tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, sugar, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook 15 minutes.
4
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup completely smooth. For an extra-silky result, strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
5
Season with salt and pepper. Return to a gentle simmer.
6
Carefully drop the cold meatballs into the simmering soup. Cook 8–10 minutes until cooked through.
7
Add vermicelli and cook 3–4 minutes until tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

Tips & Notes

Serving Suggestions: • Ladle into deep bowls and serve with thick slices of white bread (witbrood) for dipping. • A small drizzle of heavy cream on top adds a beautiful, luxurious finish. Dutch Tip 🇳🇱: In many Dutch households this is made entirely from scratch — but on a busy weeknight, a packet of Knorr tomatensoep with a bag of tiny frozen balletjes from the supermarkt is completely acceptable, and every bit as comforting and nostalgic!

Added by Michael Duregon on 15 August 2026

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