Description
A quick, hearty, and healthy turkey meatball soup packed with protein and fresh veggies, ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights and family-friendly meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (preferably 93% lean)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free panko)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 medium carrot, diced (about 60g / 2.1 oz)
- 2 medium celery stalks, diced (about 100g / 3.5 oz)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 150g / 5.3 oz)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (1.4 liters)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (30g)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (30ml)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (about 15g / 0.5 oz, optional)
- Optional add-ins:
- 2 cups baby spinach (60g / 2.1 oz)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 small zucchini, diced
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, egg, panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined to avoid tough meatballs.
- Roll the mixture into small 1-inch meatballs and set aside on a plate.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until veggies soften and onion is translucent.
- Add turkey meatballs in batches to the pot, browning them on all sides for 5-7 minutes. Remove browned meatballs and set aside.
- Stir in tomato paste, oregano, and basil into the pot. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen browned bits.
- Return meatballs to the pot. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and veggies are tender.
- If using, stir in baby spinach or zucchini during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
- Finish with chopped fresh parsley. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle soup into bowls and serve warm.
Notes
Do not overmix meatball ingredients to keep them tender. Brown meatballs in batches to avoid steaming. Use low-sodium broth to control saltiness. Add delicate greens like spinach at the end to keep them fresh. Meatballs and broth can be made ahead and stored separately. For freezing, freeze broth and meatballs separately for best texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximatel
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
Keywords: turkey meatball soup, high protein soup, quick dinner, healthy soup, weeknight meal, family-friendly soup, lean protein, easy soup recipe