Turkey Meatball Soup

This turkey meatball soup is hearty, chock full of diced chicken breasts, mini turkey meatballs, and what my husband seriously calls “a man’s soup”! It’s a one-pot wonder meal bursting with tender homemade meatballs and chicken.

While growing up, mamma would make the most delicious and yet very simple chicken broth with these very tiny meatballs. It was usually served as a primo piatto, the first-course meal, following the antipasti, a course of appetizers.

I’ve since jazzed it up a little by making it more hearty with the addition of chicken, tomatoes, celery and onions. All you need really to make a complete meal is a crispy salad and some crusty Italian bread to round it off. It’s simply delicioso!

A bowlful of goodness with flavourful meatballs and a sprinkle of Parmesan love.

Let’s get cooking.

Ingredients for Turkey Meatballs

• Ground turkey meat
• Egg, large
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, freshly grated for optimal taste.
• Gluten-free flour or all-purpose flour acts as a binding agent.
• Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley. Fresh is always best.
• salt and pepper for optimal flavour.

Ingredients for Turkey Meatball Broth

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Large onion
• Diced celery
• Garlic cloves, minced
• 398ml canned chopped tomatoes or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 2 chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 8 cups chicken stock (I used low sodium  & gluten-free)
• 1/2 cup white wine

How to Make an Italian Turkey Meatball Soup

Tip: To effortlessly roll the meatballs, fill a small bowl with approximately two tablespoons of olive oil and grease your hands in between rolling batches of meatballs.

• Mix the ground turkey with the beaten egg, grated cheese, flour, parsley, salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl.
• Grease the palm of your hands with some oil and start rolling the meat mixture into mini meatballs about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size. Transfer onto a plate and set aside.

• Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot.
• Sauté the onions, celery, garlic, tomato and chopped chicken breasts, with a pinch of salt and pepper, for about 10 minutes.

• Add in the white wine, stirring to release any brown bits at the bottom of the pan.
• Next, add in the chicken stock, cover the pot and bring to a boil then lower the heat and let it simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
• Add the mini meatballs to the soup, cover and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes.

• Scoop ladle-fulls of this hearty turkey meatball and chicken soup into a serving bowl and serve alongside some crusty bread and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if you wish but highly recommended.

Helpful note:

You can substitute ground chicken or ground veal for the turkey. Ground veal is my go-to when making a Stracciatella Soup with Mini Meatballs. If you decide on the ground veal, add an extra beaten egg into the mixture for tenderness.

I opted to use gluten-free flour and chicken broth as I have a sibling who is gluten intolerant. I wanted to show her how easy and delicious it is to modify recipes to adapt them for special diets.

But if you favour meatless soups then do try my Gnocchi Soup with Butternut Squash and Kale. It’s just as hearty and fulfilling as this soup with turkey meatballs.

Enjoy and happy cooking!