Summer Minestrone with Turkey Meatballs
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A hearty, freezer-friendly soup chockfull of fresh garden vegetables. A classic summertime dinner!
I know. Soup in the summertime? Have I gone mad? Well, maybe but I find that there’s something even more cozy about soup this time of year.
You know, as you drip sweat in the 98 degree summer heat and humidity. But don’t worry. We’re using up all of our favorite garden vegetables/staples here with homemade turkey meatballs. It’s pure summer comfort in a bowl with the tender simmering veggies and the refreshing lemon kick in every single bite.
And this soup is very freezer-friendly for your summer needs all year long. But I recommend cooking your veggies slightly firm so they can hold up during freezing and reheating.
Summer Minestrone with Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- ¾ cup ditalini pasta
- 2 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
For the turkey meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- ⅓ cup Panko
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, Panko, Parmesan, garlic, basil, and red pepper flakes, if using; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 3/4-to-1-inch meatballs, forming about 30-32 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 oil to the stockpot. 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 and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and meatballs; reduce heat and simmer until pasta is tender and meatballs are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in zucchini and spinach until the spinach has wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.*
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Delicious soup! I added 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and I used frozen turkey meatballs. Frozen meatballs had a weird consistency, so next time I’ll make homemade or buy premade (but not frozen) ones. I loved the lemony flavor!
This is perhaps the best soup I have ever made, though I adapted slightly for dietary reasons and for what I had on hand.
I doubled the recipe and used two leeks and one onion.
Subbed spinach for chopped kale.
Used orzo pasta.
And I had a chimichurri sauce on hand so I mixed in with the breadcrumbs for the meatballs.
This soup was so flavorful!!
My favorite soup recipe this past summer! I omitted the lemon and pepper flakes and loved it! This last time I used frozen chopped spinach and it was still great. The meatballs are flavorful and soften overnight. I did add extra chicken broth as well.
Just made this for dinner, absolutely delicious!!! Followed the recipe but cheated with frozen meatballs, just to save on time but will definitely make the Turkey one’s next time. Thnx for the recipe ❣️❣️
Very good. Worth the effort. Toddler son loved it as well. I used one zucchini because that’s all I had but it was plenty for us.
OMG, this was AMAZING !!!!!! The fresh lemon juice sent it over the top !
When making the meatballs how do you season raw turkey “to taste”? You can’t taste it until it’s cooked.
I would love to make this recipe but because I keep kosher, I can’t put the Parmesan cheese in the turkey meatballs. Do you suggest some substitution that isn’t dairy? Or just leave it out?
I left the parm out too but added nutritional yeast. I eyeballed it but used about two tablespoons. It turned out great!
Tried this tonight with some very minor substitutions and the entire family enjoyed it very much! This includes 3 teenagers! Very tasty summer soup and will definitely be included in our rotation from now on. Thank you very much.
Made this for dinner tonight! Very delicious! I did not change anything and would make again! I pre measured everything the morning before and put into containers based on steps. Will make again and have extra for the freezer!
Great soup. Left out the lemon and added a little more broth. Can you provide the nutritional information for this soup? Would make it again for sure!
This turned out perfect!! So delicious!!
Super delicious! A little time consuming since we doubled the recipe. Next time I’ll put in only 2tbsp of lemon juice. It was a little too lemony for us. Definitely making this again!!
AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING RECIPE FROM BEGINNING TO END!! I LOVE ALL KINDS OF SOUPS, 365 DAYS A YEAR, IF I COULD!! AS LONG AS SOUP IS HOMEMADE, I LOVE IT!!
This was delicious! I made the meatballs a day ahead of time, so less work to do the night of.
I’m allergic to spinach, what would be good to substitute?
Thanks.
Kale or any greens.
This was delicious! Meatballs were the best tasting turkey meatballs I’ve had.
Just made this soup and it is delicious. I did add two chucks of parmesan cheese to it with the pasta. I will definitely make again. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Question—can I sub kale for the spinach?
Yes, I always sub kale for spinach in any soup reciepe, as I cannot have spinach as it is high potassium. And it is a excellent exchange
Of course you can
Followed the recipe exactly and it was amazing!! We will be making this all summer long!
Love this recipe! It’s great for warm summer days! I double the recipe and assemble it for the freezer:
1. Cook meatballs through in a skillet and set aside.
2. Make main soup base to the beginning of step 4 (stop after adding stock and bay leaves).
3. Divide chopped spinach, sliced zucchini, chopped parsley, and meatballs among freezer zipper bags.
4. Label bags with date, title, and instructions to add cooked ditalini and lemon juice when reheating soup.
5. Divide mostly cooled soup base among freezer bags. Lay flat to freeze!
Thanks for a damn delicious recipe!
I made this for my family last night and everyone loved it! I was anticipating a large amount of leftovers, as there are only 3 people in my family, but we ate all of it. I can’t wait to make this again. It is definitely a new family favorite. Thank you!
Love this recipe, however, I used a non stick pot and while frying the meatballs they stuck to the bottom but they were salvageable. I would definitely increase the pasta to at least 1 cup dry. I used chicken broth instead of stock because that’s what I had on hand. I added Parmesan when serving the soup. I will definitely make this again.
Yum! I just added about a teaspoon of red wine vinegar to balance the acidity a bit and it gave it that extra tang it needed. Also used premade Italian Turkey meatballs and quartered them. Yummy all around!
Might have been 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar actually. I just eyeballed a small dash.
Great idea to use premade meatballs!
An absolutely delicious summer soup recipe!
Oh my gosh this was sooooo good, I never made a minestrone before and this is like perfect and new favorite, my husband ate like 3 bowls. It’s flavorful and the meatballs have a bit of a kick with the red pepper flakes. This going to be a staple dish in our house! Please try it!!
It’s February now but soup always works in winter, so with zucchini I needed to use and a craving for something nourishing I made this soup. We liked it and I can see eating it in the summer…I probably just wouldn’t make it in the hottest weather. I didn’t enjoy making the meatballs first, but it’s not like I didn’t know I was going to have to do that, it just takes a little more time. Next time I make it, I think I’ll make meatballs the day before or possibly even make them and freeze them to use whenever! Thanks for another nice recipe 🙂
I love all your recipes and this is no exception. My husband and anyone I feed it too go crazy for this soup. I can never get my ratios to look as pretty as yours but I am going to keep trying. This is a reliable recipe FULL of veggies. Love it.
This soup was awesome!
I’ve made this before and it was great but the ingredients seem to be messed up on here for me – rotisserie chicken, Half and half No zucchini etc
So sorry about that! We had a temporary system glitch but it should be fixed now. 🙂
This isn’t the recipe I originally saw just earlier today. It appears changes have been made to the recipe. It doesn’t provide the ingredients and measurements for the meatballs. Ingredients for the soup seem different now too. Peas instead of spinach. .?????
So sorry about that! We had a temporary system glitch but it should be fixed now. 🙂
I don’t often post reviews but this soup was a hit! Even my picky hubby and daughter ate it. I used a gf panko for the meatballs and threw in some leftover corn. Delish!!!!!
Thank you for your amazing collection of recipes. They are always a hit and I have shared so many with friends and family.
Very tasty summer soup recipe. Loved the little turkey meatballs.
Excellent, easy, simple, tasty and healthy recipe. I had slight issues with the meatballs sticking to the pan, but when I deglazed the pan with the chicken stock, the brown goodness added wonderful flavor to the soup. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
This soup is the best I’ve ever made. It’s packed with flavor, satisfying and everyone is my family loved it. My husband and nephew had seconds and thirds
Amazing my husband only liked traditional minestrone! This changed his mind! Used frozen cocktail meatballs which shortened the cooking time! A definite do again!
This is my go to soup during non-winter months. I am making my first batch now! I will make this weekly for the next 7 months! Absolutely wonderful!!!! If your broth is bland, add a little chicken “better than bouillon.”
I made this recipe tonight. We loved it. I like blending the whole lemon with a little water. I didn’t add the noodles as I am eating low carb. This soup has so much flavor. My niece and nephew loved the meatballs. I will be making this soup again for sure.
I just made this for the teachers where my kid attend. I followed the recipe to a T and believe me this is one of the tastiest soup I’ve ever made. Thank you for sharing is amazing soup.
This is the third time that I’ve made this and it’s delicious I love minestrone soup and I’m picky about how it tastes. My family loves it also and my daughter isn’t a big fan of soup
Delicious and so easy. The lemon and fresh parsley really makes the taste!
I added fresh Thyme and Rosemary because I had it on hand. Also added can of tiny diced tomatoes.
DELICIOUS!!! I added 2 extra garlic cloves of garlic in meatball mixture (mine were small) and extra cup of spinach. This soup will become a regular meal.
I added navy beans in place of pasta, I didn’t have any on hand. Fabulous flavor and bright . On another occation all I had on hand was spicy italian sausage so I used it for the meatballs ( had to remove it from casing , but worth it) I also used almond flour in place of panko and 2 TBS of greek yogurt so it wouldn’t lose moisture. came out perfect. It really is a versitile recipe, thanks.
I love this soup! It is in constant rotation in our home! If I’m feeling super lazy I just buy frozen meatballs and it still tastes amazing!
Super tasty!
I let my soul simmer for 15 minutes before adding meatballs and noodles.
My dad can’t stop eating this which means I can’t stop making it!
My dad is 89 and is sensitive to many foods. He adores your soup. It has been such a comfort to him. Thank you!!
Fab, quick & delicious. Added pinches of bouillon & shaoxing wine for twist because I’ve made this so many times!
I kinda winged this, which I never do! Due to dietary issues, I made the meatballs with beef, beef broth, used brown rice and Swiss chard instead of spinach & left out the lemon juice. Got a TOTAL thumbs up from the guys! Wait, what???? Hooray! Thanks, again, for another great recipe! You rock lady!
Do you have the nutrition facts on this?
This was delicious! I added rice because as I was cooking I realized there was no pasta in the pantry. So much for being prepared:). Will definitely make this again.
This soup was amazing! We loved it, I use so many of your recipes! I can’t wait to make this again!
Good but the zucchini was raw and no one liked it. I will make it again but put the zucchini in with the meatballs and pasta. That will cook it more. Thanks.
So bright and delicious! Also quick and easy. A keeper for sure. Thanks for the recipe!!
I doubled the lemon juice. It was delicious!
This was a really tasty soup! Thanks for a great recipe.
Made this tonight with a few changes because of allergies. For the meatballs I skipped the parmesan cheese and used Trader Joe’s gluten free rice crumbs in place of the panko. They turned out great! I followed the soup recipe except used brown rice in place of the pasta. This was such a flavorful soup…so good! My family loved it too! It will definitely be added to my list of favorite recipes and not just as a summer soup!
Of course, I made changes, because I use what I have…I used any pasta on hand. I made double everything except water, only 6 cups. I forgot the zucchini, but added other vegies. Delicious!!!!!!!
Tried browning little chicken balls as the picture looked. Over cooked before adding back to soup to finish off. Soup flavor is a 5 star and meatballs dry, hard overcooked 2 star.
Haven’t made the soup0part yet, but I will be making for a colleague who will be laid up for a while. Made the meatballs in advance and baked them-delicious! First time I’ve gotten my husband to eat a turkey meatball. He loved them and ate so many that I don’t have enough for friend and us! Guess I’ll have to make another batch. Thanks!
Delicious and healthy, I loved this soup. I made a few slight changes. I added an egg, tsp of fennel seeds, and lemon zest to the meatballs and used brown rice instead of pasta. It had great flavor for something that comes together so quickly. I will definitely make this again.
Can you sub almond meal for panko?
Do you know how you make this using an instant pot?
This is SO GOOD!!!! Thank you for the amazing recipe!
I followed what a few others did and replaced Kale for the spinach and it is divine!! Holds it’s shape and tastes great with everything.
These turkey meatballs are delish. I might add another container of stock next time, more pasta, so i can throw in more meatballs and veggies. Would be great to freeze, but I bet we will eat this all by tomorrow this round 🙂
Very fresh, like a bright, summer garden in a bowl!
Delicious! Everyone loved it! Thanks! Any idea how much a serving is – approximate cups?
Love this soup. Next time I make it, I will add another cup of spinach as it cooks down so much and I do like it. Meatballs are yum! Freezes well. Going into my personal recipe book.
i made this yesterday for dinner and loved it! I will absolutely make this again!
Love that! Thank you for sharing with us, Elizabeth!
I know I am late to the table but I made this the day before Christmas because I wanted a go-to before the heavy eating. This is fabulous. I too had trouble turning the meatballs so I will try Joannes suggesting of baking next time. Winter or Summer, this is a great recipe. Thank you.
Made this soup today exactly as written and oh my, is it delicious!! I’ve made chicken and turkey meatballs before and they were hard so I was sceptical about the recipe. I am so glad that I tried this. The meatballs were not only very easy with few ingredients, they are very soft and flavorful in the soup. Love all the vegetables in this too. One of the best tasting soups I’ve ever made, thank you for the awesome recipe!
Thanks for sharing!
This was SO good!I made it with pre-made chicken italian sausage, just crumbled, browned and it was great! Also subbed frozen spinach and cooked my zucchini a little more. Thanks so much for these awesome recipes!
Thanks for sharing!
It says freezer friendly but also to serve immediately. Do you have the freezer instructions?
Naomi, you can freeze in plastic freezer bags (I like to lay them flat in the freezer to save on space), thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat over low heat.
I just made this and it came out delicious! Only thing different was I already had homemade turkey meatballs in the freezer so I used those. I actually quartered them so they would fit the spoon! I also had one lonely fresh ear of corn so I added that once the soup was all done since it does not need to be cooked this time of year!
Great modifications!
This soup is delicious! I made some slight changes just to match what I had in my pantry (frozen basil cube, orzo, pecorino romano cheese). My 16 month old is so picky and she ate two bowls! The spinach turned into mush so next time I may use kale or just omit it. Thank you for sharing this!
So great to hear, Sarah!
I love this soup! I just made it for the first time . I’m addicted to all your recipes! This has been so much fun finding you and cooking your food !!! Fantastic !!
That’s so great, Cheryl! We’re happy you found us!
I have a dairy sensitivity. Is parmesan cheese necessary or is there a substitute I can use? Thanks!
You can omit the parmesan.
I just made this soup and am typing this while eating. It tastes great! I had most of the ingredients on hand, so I substituted for what I didn’t have. I broiled meatballs in the oven, substituting ground pork. I can’t eat onions, so omitted them. I am one of those rare people who isn’t crazy about soups of any kind. This is a keeper, for me. I came across the website by way of Instagram a few months ago, and I haven’t been disappointed with any of the recipes I’ve tried. The husband and 2 teenagers love them, too.
Thank you, Chungah and your team. Great job.
Thank you so much, Karen! We appreciate your feedback!
I made this tonight and my picky sons ate it well! It was delicious and it makes me feel good that they ate vegetables! This recipe is a keeper!
That’s great!
I used Trader Joe’s turkey meatballs. Are used Trader Joe’s vegetable broth low salt instead of chicken broth. I omitted the lemon juice. It was tasty. I also added a few frozen green beans As I want to the soup to have a lot of vegetables. I also added Parmesan cheese to the serving bowl. t was tasty.
Awesome!
I make a lot of soup, and this was possibly our favorite yet! The lemon gives it such a fresh flavor. I had most of the vegetables on hand from our weekly farm box delivery.
I love that you have a weekly farm box delivery service!
I made this and the entire family loved it. Almost too much… They kept going back for more. We’re a family of 4 and the leftovers were a bit skimpy on the meatballs. 😉
More meatballs next time haha!
I definitely don’t think you are crazy for soup in summertime because this soup looks so good! I’m already brainstorming other summery vegetables I could throw in with it when I go to make it. Thanks!
Summer soups are great! Let us know how you like this one.
Can you please tell me what PANKO is and where can I find it? Also, is this soup LOW-CARB FRIENDLY?
Thanks in advance,
Jacqueline
Panko is a Japanese version of breadcrumbs. You should be able to find it in the Asian section of your local grocery store. The recipe is pretty low carb, except for the pasta, but you could omit or substitute to your needs of course!
I always have shredded parmesan cheese in the frig, not fresh parmesan. What is the difference, if any and why use fresh versus pre shredded? Thank You
I find that freshly grated is best, but pre-shredded should also work! 🙂
I just finished making this. It’s pretty delicious. I used freshly grated parmesan because I wanted to follow the recipe exactly. The only problem I had was the turkey meatballs falling apart while browning them. I wonder if they needed an egg to bind them???? Was the egg left out of the recipe accidently? I’ve made turkey meatballs before and never had this problem. I think next time I’ll just bake them. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m so glad you tried this recipe, Joanne! The egg was not left out accidentally, but you can certainly add a beaten egg if you prefer. 🙂
Thank you for responding. I just froze 1/2 of the soup. We really enjoyed this recipe. It’s perfect especially with the zucchini. I might add corn next time. I think it’ll be just as yummy. Thumbs up on this recipe.
That makes me so happy! The addition of corn also sounds amazing.
What are your thoughts on baking the meatballs instead of frying? I love soup, too – in any season
Yes, you can absolutely bake the meatballs if you prefer!
Do you have any nutritional values for this recipe?
Nutritional information is provided only for select and some new recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, we recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information. Hope that helps!