TURKEY MEATBALL SOUP WITH QUINOA AND SPINACH

If you haven’t noticed, meatballs are a BIG hit in our home. I typically simmer them in a huge pot of marinara sauce and make a traditional Italian meatball recipe. However, now that temperatures are starting to cool down, I thought I would incorporate them in a big bowl of soup! I wanted to try something really different and extra healthy. This turkey meatball soup is packed with tons of protein and vegetables.  Delicious and good for you, yes please! 

Hey, it’s a yummy turkey meatball army waiting to jump into your belly! These cuties are made into smaller bites than I would usually make, about 1 tablespoon in size. What goes into each meatball? A mixture of lean ground turkey, cooked quinoa, whole wheat panko breadcrumbs, garlic, Parmesan cheese, parsley, lemon zest, and seasonings. They are broiled until golden brown and cooked through and are ready to be swimming in the soup!

The tender meatball bites are taking a nice dip in chicken broth pureed with some cannellini beans and aromatic herbs. Simmering these miniature meatballs in soup broth allows them to quickly infuse the flavors of the liquid and are easier to bite with each spoonful. Guess what, I got a brand new gorgeous ocean blue cassadou pan, my very first Le Creuset.

This gem is like a new member of our family! I am really excited to use my new pan because it can hold 3 3/4-quarts so it’s large enough to saute, braise and make soups all in one beautiful pot. It has got me totally inspired as I’m cooking and can’t wait to make more recipes! Sometimes you just need to spoil yourself, right?

Each bowl of turkey meatball soup is packed with nutrients so that you can enjoy each spoonful without guilt. The quinoa gives an extra boost of protein, plus fiber from the cannellini beans and iron from the spinach.

I typically use beef to make meatballs, however, turkey is a nice alternative for a lighter version. An ingredient that I added that really brought a nice fresh flavor to the meatballs is lemon zest, yup! We noticed that with each bite it really gave a nice refreshing taste that complemented the lightened up soup, what a sweet discovery.

One hearty bowl of turkey meatball soup coming right up! I’ve been thinking, you can also use this turkey meatball for other dishes like a traditional tomato saucewith pasta, or trying in a spicy Asian sriracha sauce, or even in a tomato tortellini soup. The meatballs are really versatile so you can switch any spices and flavoring ingredients you like to fit the dish.

Baby James is loving finger foods now, so these mini meatballs were the perfect size for him to grab and take tiny bites from. I would love to hear if you think this is something your little ones would enjoy too.

TIP: How do you achieve healthy yet tender turkey meatballs?
A tender meatball always needs a base of ground meat, breadcrumbs, and eggs. I found using a ratio of 1 pound of ground turkey, 1 cup breadcrumbs, and 1 large egg has worked well. You could try using a panade to make the meatball super moist by soaking the bread in milk first, but I did not use that technique for this recipe. I then add in other ingredients like Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, parsley, lemon zest and seasonings to help flavor the meatballs. To make the meatballs more healthy, the turkey is a very lean protein, plus more added protein from quinoa, and whole grains from whole wheat panko breadcrumbs.

TURKEY MEATBALL SOUP WITH QUINOA AND SPINACH

Author: Jessica Gavin

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 6 servings

 

Turkey meatball soup with spinach and quinoa is a hearty and healthy meal! Protein packed quinoa, beans & vegetables gives more nutrients into your daily dishes.

INGREDIENTS

Turkey Meatballs-

• 1 pound ground turkey
• ⅔ cup cooked red or white quinoa
• 1 cup whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Soup-

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 2 cups cooked red or white quinoa
• 2- 15-ounce cans of cannellini or white beans
• 3 cups (5 ounces) spinach leaves
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook 2 cups uncooked quinoa according to manufacturer's package directions, this should yield 4 cups of cooked quinoa and will be divided in the recipe.

Turkey meatballs-

1. Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a foil lined rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, combine the ground turkey, ⅔ cup quinoa, panko, garlic, onion, cheese, egg, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Form turkey mixture into 1 tablespoon-sized small meatballs and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Soup-

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and add 1 cup of broth, blend until smooth. Add the puree back into the pan. Add the remaining 5 cups of the broth to the pan and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the thyme, rosemary and meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the quinoa, beans, and spinach and cook just until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Season the soup with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, more to taste. Ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately.

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About chef imado

Hello! My Name Is Imad Qaidi, Cooking Holds a certificate of the Moroccan state and I have all the qualifications of the traditional and the modern cuisine of various well-known in the world of cooking states, Best Regards Admin.