Turkey Meatball Soup

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

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

Here I have 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. Simply delicioso 🙂

Ingredients:

For the meatballs

• 1 pound ground Turkey meat
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons flour (I used gluten free all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• salt and pepper

For the broth

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cups diced celery
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 2 chicken breasts, diced into small pieces
• salt and pepper
• 8 cups chicken stock (I used low sodium  & gluten free)
• 1/2 cup white wine

Tip: Have nearby a small bowl with olive oil and grease the palm of your hands when ready to roll the meatballs.

In a bowl mix together the ground turkey, the beaten egg, grated cheese, flour and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Grease the palm of your hands and start rolling the meat mixture into mini meatballs about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot and 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.

You can substitute ground chicken or even ground veal for the turkey. If you decide on the ground veal, do add and 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 and I really wanted to show her how easy and delicious it is to modify recipes and adapt them for special diets. I sincerely hope she gives it a try 🙂

A bowlful of goodness with melt in your mouth meatballs and a sprinkle of Parmesan love. Oh so good !!

Yields 6 servings.

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