Inspired by her mother’s Ukrainian family recipe, Natasha Kravchuk’s turkey meatball soup combines ground turkey, potatoes, vegetables, orzo and fresh dill in a comforting one-pot dinner.
“With twelve grandkids between the ages of three and fourteen who all show up hungry after church on Sundays, Baba (my mom) regularly makes this soup because it’s as soothing as it is delicious, and the adults are just as excited to smell it simmering on the stove when we walk in the door. You can also use ground chicken, pork or beef for the meatballs. I’ve tested them all for variety because I make this soup ALL THE TIME.” –Natasha Kravchuk.
Serve soup with crusty bread or alongside Best Buttermilk Biscuits or Roasted Delicata Squash Salad.
Turkey Meatball Soup
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Soup
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 2 medium carrots thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
- 2 cups filtered water
- 6 medium Yukon gold potatoes peeled, chopped into ¼-inch-thick pieces and rinsed (see note #1)
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt plus more to taste
- ⅓ cup orzo optional (see note #2)
- 1 large egg lightly beaten (see note #3)
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill or parsley leaves plus more for serving (optional)
- 2 small garlic cloves grated
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the turkey, egg, salt, onion powder, pepper and garlic powder; mix well. Working with ½- to 1-tablespoon portions, wet your hands and roll each portion into a ball. Transfer the rolled meatballs to a rimmed baking sheet. If the meatballs start to stick to your hands, rinse them again, and continue with clean, wet hands. Set the meatballs aside.
- Heat the oil in a 5- to 7-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and golden. Add the broth, 2 cups water, the potatoes and salt. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat and add the orzo (if using). Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork.
- Carefully add the meatballs to the pot and continue to simmer for 5 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through (check that the turkey meatballs reach an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Stir in the egg, followed by the dill and garlic. Simmer just until the egg is cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with more dill (if using) and serve immediately. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground turkey
- Lean turkey keeps the meatballs tender and light.
- Eggs
- One egg binds the turkey meatballs, helping them hold their shape as they cook. A second beaten egg is stirred into the soup, creating delicate ribbons that poach in the broth – a technique common in Ukrainian cooking that adds richness and texture.
- Onion, carrot and celery
- This classic trio of vegetables, known as mirepoix, forms the flavour base of the soup. Sauté them until softened and lightly golden to bring out their natural sweetness without browning them too much.
- Potatoes
- Choose waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold, yellow or red) to keep their shape as the soup simmers. Rinse the potatoes after slicing them to keep them from discolouring and to remove excess starch.
- Fresh dill
- Add dill right before serving to keep the flavour bright. Dill adds freshness to balance the light broth. Parsley, or a mix of both, works too.
Reprinted with permission from Natasha’s Kitchen by Natasha Kravchuk, copyright © 2023. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.º
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