Description
This Mini Turkey Meatball Italian Wedding Soup is a hearty and flavorful dish perfect for a comforting meal. Featuring tender baked turkey meatballs simmered in a savory chicken broth with diced vegetables, pasta, and fresh spinach, this soup combines wholesome ingredients with classic Italian flavors for a nourishing and satisfying experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup small pasta (such as orzo or acini di pepe)
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Make the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, egg, minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined to ensure your meatballs hold together and are flavorful.
- Form and bake meatballs: Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked through.
- Sauté the vegetables: While the meatballs bake, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery, sautéing for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables become tender and fragrant.
- Add broth, meatballs, and pasta: Pour the low-sodium chicken broth into the pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the baked meatballs and the small pasta (such as orzo), then simmer everything together for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is tender.
- Add spinach and finish cooking: Stir in the chopped fresh spinach and cook for an additional 2 minutes until the spinach has wilted and incorporated into the soup.
- Season and serve: Taste and adjust the soup’s seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, garnished with extra grated Parmesan cheese if desired for added flavor.
Notes
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt content in the soup.
- You can substitute ground turkey with ground chicken for a different but similar flavor profile.
- Small pasta shapes like orzo or acini di pepe work best for this soup because they are bite-sized.
- For a quicker preparation, meatballs can be pan-fried instead of baked.
- Leftover soup stores well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be frozen for up to 1 month.
- Adding fresh herbs like parsley can enhance the flavor before serving.
