Turkey meatball soup with orzo

This light and flavorful turkey meatball soup recipe is made with tender mini meatballs, orzo, and fresh kale. It’s simple, nutritious, and just plain delicious.

I always feel like eating soup. They’re comforting, usually one-pot recipes, and we love hearty soups, so they’re always satisfying. This Turkey Meatball Soup hits all the right marks, and I’m so happy to have added it to my ever-growing list of easy soup recipes.

Thanks to the protein-rich meatballs and orzo, this soup stands completely on its own and requires no garnishes. Perfect for making ahead of time. Note that the orzo will continue to absorb soup if left alone. If you’re reheating it the next day, just add more broth and it will return to a soup-like consistency (or you won’t, it’s still delicious!).

main ingredients

Ground Turkey: For best results, use dark ground meat or ground turkey that contains at least 7% fat. Without too much fat, the meatballs won’t be juicy and will be dry and crumbly. Ground chicken or ground pork are great alternatives. In fact, I use a combination of chicken and pork in my popular Italian wedding soup recipe. Spices: Mix a little salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and pepper flakes (I love gochugaru, but crushed red pepper flakes will also work) into the turkey to make meatballs. And the soup has ground fennel and bay leaves. Both make our soup really delicious. Onions, Carrots, and Garlic: I wanted this to be a weeknight-friendly soup that required minimal prep. So keep the base simple with onions (yellow or sweet onions are best), carrots, and garlic. Stock: Use flavorful chicken or turkey stock. You can use store-bought ones, so feel free to use whatever you like. Bone broth is also great and adds protein. If you want to make your own, check out our chicken stock recipes and bone broth recipes. Orzo: Any small pasta shape will work, but our family loves orzo in soups. The starch in pasta will give your soup a little thickness and give it a creamy texture without adding dairy products. Kale: Finally, stir the whole kale into the soup. If kale is too hearty, spinach or cabbage are great substitutes.

See the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to make turkey meatball soup

Tip 1: Make meatballs. This recipe uses mini meatballs made by pinching seasoned ground turkey and rolling them into small balls. These differ from classic meatballs or Italian meatballs with breadcrumbs and eggs, which are simpler and have an almost chewy texture in the soup.

To make it, mix ground turkey with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and some pepper flakes. Next, take small portions of the meat (about 1/2 tablespoon) and roll into small balls.

Tip 2: Brown the meatballs. To add flavor to the soup base and a little color to the meatballs, brown the meatballs in olive oil before making the soup. You don’t want it to cook all the way through (this will happen later when the meatballs simmer in the soup). If you have a wide soup pot, you can fit everything at once. Otherwise, consider browning in batches (it will take 5-7 minutes to brown).

Tip 3: Make the soup base. Once browned, transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside. There will be oil left in the pan and burnt bits on the bottom. There’s a lot of flavor here, so throw in the onions, carrots, garlic, fennel, and bay leaves and cook until soft. The onions will release some moisture, which will help scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Tip 4: Boil it, but don’t simmer it too long. When the onions and carrots begin to soften, pour in the stock and add the meatballs back. The soup tastes a little bland at this point, but once you boil the meatballs and add the orzo, it turns into a delicious and delicious soup. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Tip 5: Add pasta and cook until tender. Orzo is included. Continue to simmer for 5-7 minutes (or until orzo is tender). When simmered in the soup, the flavor and starch dissolve, thickening the soup and giving it a richer taste.

Tip 6: Finish with lots of kale. Once the orzo is soft, add a bunch of vegetables (kale in the photo) and mix. Then simmer for a few more minutes, until the soup is wilted and tender. However, you want a bright green color, so don’t cook it too long.

offer suggestions

This soup is delicious on its own, but if you want to make it even better, you can grate some Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese on top. It’s also delicious with lemon (I just squeeze a lemon wedge over the bowl).

More Favorite Soup Recipes