Turkey Meatball and Spinach Soup
A quick and easy hearty soup for any night of the week. And you can even cook/prep/freeze the meatballs beforehand!
I recently had to fly to NY for a quick work trip but I brought back a very nasty cold. So even though it’s not exactly soup weather in California, this turkey meatball soup was just what I needed.
It’s an incredibly hearty, cozy soup with big, plump turkey meatballs and wilted spinach throughout. It’s perfect for a cold night or even as a light lunch for any season.
You can also prep the meatballs beforehand and throw it in the soup when ready to serve. Just know that after this, you may want to add turkey meatballs in all of your soups!
Turkey Meatball and Spinach Soup
A quick and easy hearty soup for any night of the week. And you can even cook/prep/freeze the meatballs beforehand!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
For the meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ⅓ cup Panko
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, Panko, Parmesan, oregano, basil, parsley, garlic powder and red pepper flakes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch meatballs, forming about 18-20 meatballs.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add meatballs, in batches, and cook until all sides are browned, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in chicken stock, bay leaves and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Stir in meatballs; reduce heat and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan and garnished with parsley, if desired.
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Is it possible to do this in a slow cooker with pre-made meatballs and pre- cooked veggies (minus the spinach). If so, for how long and on low, medium or high?
I save a step and toss the raw meatballs into the boiling broth. They cook in about 5 minutes. Proceed with other instructions. Such a good soup.
This soup was amazing! Way better than I even anticipated..
Huge hit with my whole family. Only thing I did different was I added a can of white beans per one of the comments. I recommend it. Thank you for sharing!
Made this tonight. Wow! It was so delicious and healthy. After a few days of eating crummy this hot the spot. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this soup during winter in Indiana…warmed us right up! So delicious. I added a half cup of orzo pasta for a little more heartiness and it turned out wonderfully. Thanks for this delicious go-to soup!
This recipe has become a staple in our household! We have made it many times now. We add sun-dried tomatoes to the meatballs to give them a little more flavor (I don’t love the flavor of ground turkey, but it is good for when you are trying to be healthy). We also sometimes add a can of cannellini beans when we want something a little heartier or when we are trying to add extra protein to our diets. Thanks for sharing this one!! We eat it when we want to watch our weight, when we are sick, and just because we like it!
You are so welcome, Jess!
New favorite soup for the winter. My son and I loved this and its wasn’t too big of a task for a weeknight meal. I just added a squeeze of lemon to brighten it up but its also great just on its own.
Awesome!
I make this soup all the time and it’s so easy and so AMAZING! I’ve started adding a package of tortellinis in so that my boyfriend and I can eat if for a couple of days. Your recipes are so incredible, I am a huge fan!
What is the serving size? It just says there are 4 servings in the recipe, but not how much a serving is.
Hi Sharron! Unfortunately, we don’t provide serving sizes, just that the recipe technically (on average) feeds four people. You’d have to divide in four to see how much you end up with per serving. Hope that helps!
It does. That’s what I had planned on doing. I just wanted to be sure. Thanks!
Just received this recipe can’t wait to try it if you add orzo would you cook it on the side and add it as you enjoy the soup?
Yes, you can certainly do that!
This has become a cold weather staple in our house! Easy enough for a weeknight dinner, and makes great leftovers for lunch. We like to add a bit of pasta to the soup (small shells or ditalini) – but if you’re keeping it for leftovers, keep the pasta separate (otherwise it soaks up all the broth). Delish!
Trying this for the first time and surprised at the calorie amount. Maybe 5 meatballs is more than necessary??
Hi! I’m looking to make this recipe, but as sort of a meal prep meal. Do you recommend keeping it for a few days? Not sure if you’ve tried re-heating if you’ve had any leftovers and how it keeps.
Let me know!
Thanks.
I actually have not – sorry!
Hi,
If I am making the meatballs for future use, do I cook them before freezing?
Thanks,
Aubury
Yes.
This is indeed a great recipe. I cooked it several times already. I use low fat ground turkey breast and ad small or medium potato that I cut in small pieces. I feel like potato adds some softness to the soup. It goes well with both turkey and veggies.
Love this recipe! My kids can’t get enough!
Thank you,
Do you ever bake the meatballs instead of frying…hoping to quadruple the recipe and thought it would save time…any recommendations?!
Yes, you can certainly bake these!
look delicious… i will try to make it soon…
I made this yesterday and it was soooo tasty. A few meatballs fell apart in the frying pan, but I found if I browned them over a lower flame and cooked a little bit longer did the trick. The aroma of the meat and the sautéed vegetables was wonderful! I’ll be making this dish again!
I made these tonight, and they were a fail for me. They were mushy, didn’t hold their shape ,and fell apart in the frying pan. I added extra crumbs and seasonings because the mixture seemed wet , and I couldn’t really get a whiff of the seasonings after it was mixed up. Maybe it was the ground turkey. I don’t know, but I won’t make again.
Vicky, I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined but if too much breadcrumbs are added, this can ruin their ability to hold their shape.
Thank you for responding, but the meat mixture was very, very wet, and I felt that it needed a little bit more crumbs.