My favorite kind of soup made with homemade broth, lots of vegetables and turkey meatballs, this is an easy, quick, healthy and delicious soup recipe.
I’ve made this particular soup especially for the blog only a few weeks ago. It is a typical soup eaten in the South of Romania and this is the main reason why I decided to give it a go. And for me, this is quite a proof that my grandmother did learn how to cook while she was living in Oltenia, because although this was not her recipe and she never actually made this Meatball and Vegetables Soup, the soup tasted just like it was made by my grandmother…
The perfect soup taste for me, I grew up with it and I love it. And although I’ve cooked many of my grandmother’s soups already following the instructions she gave me, no soup (except the Chicken Stock and Semolina Dumplings) ever tasted so much like if it was really cooked by my grandma.
Like I’ve said it many times before the secret to a good soup is the broth or stock you are using. Homemade chicken/turkey stock or bone broth are my absolute favorites and I rarely make soup if I don’t have homemade broth or stock. If I ever do, than I make sure that I buy the best stock I can afford, there are really very few brands that I find OK. So I’d rather take the time and make my stock than use anything of inferior quality.
Making stock is so easy, I really recommend you would give it try. It takes a bit of time, but it is no work involved there, the broth just cooks slowly and there is nothing that you have to do. Put all the ingredients in the pot and let everything simmer slowly.
I made the broth for this soup with turkey bones from the farm turkey I bought here in the village. You can make chicken stock as well, if turkey bones are not available, it will not make much of a difference, both versions are utterly delicious. Do give it a try, there is nothing better, healthier and tastier than homemade stock or broth!
I used 750 ml/ 25.4 fl.oz/ 3 cups very concentrated turkey stock and the same amount of water for the soup. If you use less concentrated stock, then leave out the water and use only stock.
I used turkey to make the meatballs, because I love the taste of turkey meatballs and the fact that they have less fat than ground pork or beef. But you can use ground pork or beef or a mixture of the two. And in case you are interested in more recipes for turkey meatballs, have a look at these recipes:
Turkey Meatballs Cauliflower Casserole
Turkey Meatballs in Turmeric Sauce
How to Make Bone Broth and Turkey Meatball Soup
Meatball and Vegetable Soup
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Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
- 2 ½ tablespoons rice
- 500 g/ 1.1 lbs ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- black pepper
- For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 large carrot
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 red bell pepper
- 750 ml/ 25.4 fl.oz/ 3 cups very concentrated turkey stock
- 750 ml/ 25.4 fl.oz/ 3 cups water (See note)
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 2-4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 small bunch parsley
- 4-5 leaves fresh lovage or ½ teaspoon dried lovage
Instructions
Cook the rice in salted water for about 7 minutes or until half done. Drain well.
For the soup grate the carrot and the zucchini. Chop the onion and the bell pepper very finely.
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Give the onion, carrot, zucchini and bell pepper to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times in between. Add the finely chopped tomatoes, the stock and the water, if using, bring to a boil and let cook while you form the meatballs.
To make the meatballs mix the ground turkey, rice, breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, egg, sweet paprika, salt and pepper very well. Form about 25-30 meatballs, about the size of a walnut. Wet your hands from time to time when making the meatballs, it works better. Give the meatballs to the soup and let simmer gently for about 12-15 minutes or until done. Chop the herbs and give them to the soup.
Adjust the taste with salt, pepper and white wine vinegar. Start with two teaspoons of the vinegar and add more to your liking.
Notes
I used 750 ml/ 25.4 fl.oz/ 3 cups very concentrated turkey stock and the same amount of water for the soup. If you use less concentrated stock, then leave out the water and use only stock instead.
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2 comments
I saw this headline and believed- something I know. But you still have intresting twist as allways 🙂 I have to try your recipe 🙂
Well, this is a big bowl of comfort!! Meatballs in a delicious hearty broth is definitely one of my favourite things, especially when the weather gets colder! All I would need with this is a nice hunk of bread to dip into that broth 🙂 Yum!