Turkey Meatball Soup

By Tracy

6 Person

40 Minutes

0 Calories

Meatballs were traditionally made with scraps of meat, often pork or beef, and stale bread. They were a make-do meal for people who had little. Turkey meatballs in an easy soup with spinach and orzo! Make the meatballs ahead and freeze for a quick weeknight meal whenever you need one. These baby meatballs are so cute you’ll fall hard for them. Use your hands to mix them in a bowl with a little Parmesan and some parsley – you’ll feel like an Italian nonna!

Ingredients

Soup

1 cup grated Parmesan
5 oz. baby spinach, with any long stems removed
1/2 cup orzo pasta
8 cups chicken stock
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 tbsp. olive oil

Meatballs

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup whole or reduced-fat milk
2 slices white bread

Method

01

Shred the bread or roll with your fingers into 1/2-inch pieces. In a bowl, combine the bread or roll, milk, egg, Parmesan, turkey, salt, pepper, and parsley. With a clean hand, work the mixture until it is well blended.
02

With wet hands, shape 2 teaspoons of the mixture into a small walnut-sized meatball (1 1/2-inches across). Repeat, making 30 to 34 meatballs total.
03

In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When it is hot, add half the meatballs and cook for 3 minutes, or until they are browned on the bottom. Turn and cook 2 minutes more, until browned on the other side. Remove from the pan. (The meatballs will not be cooked through.)
04

Cook the remaining meatballs in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same way.
05

In a soup pot, heat the oil. Add the celery, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the meatballs and orzo. Return the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan.
06

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the orzo is tender (cut the meatballs in half to check them; taste the orzo).
07

Add the spinach to the soup and cook 2 minutes more, or just until it wilts.
08

Taste the soup for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Related Tags

Turkey Recipes

Soup Recipes

Appetizers Recipes

Ground Turkey Recipes

Meatball Recipes

Turkey Meatball Soup

3.8

( By Tracy )

01 Information

Grade easy
Serving 6 servings
Prep Time 15 Mins
Cook Time 25 Mins
Total Time 40 Mins

02 Ingredients

Soup

1 cup grated Parmesan

5 oz. baby spinach, with any long stems removed

1/2 cup orzo pasta

8 cups chicken stock

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

3 medium carrots, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 tbsp. olive oil

Meatballs

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. salt

1 pound ground turkey

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 large egg

1/4 cup whole or reduced-fat milk

2 slices white bread

03 Method

Step 1

Shred the bread or roll with your fingers into 1/2-inch pieces. In a bowl, combine the bread or roll, milk, egg, Parmesan, turkey, salt, pepper, and parsley. With a clean hand, work the mixture until it is well blended.

Step 2

With wet hands, shape 2 teaspoons of the mixture into a small walnut-sized meatball (1 1/2-inches across). Repeat, making 30 to 34 meatballs total.

Step 3

In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When it is hot, add half the meatballs and cook for 3 minutes, or until they are browned on the bottom. Turn and cook 2 minutes more, until browned on the other side. Remove from the pan. (The meatballs will not be cooked through.)

Step 4

Cook the remaining meatballs in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same way.

Step 5

In a soup pot, heat the oil. Add the celery, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the meatballs and orzo. Return the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan.

Step 6

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the orzo is tender (cut the meatballs in half to check them; taste the orzo).

Step 7

Add the spinach to the soup and cook 2 minutes more, or just until it wilts.

Step 8

Taste the soup for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan.

04 Author