Hearty One Pot Turkey Meatball Soup
The more I hunt turkey, the more turkey season starts to become my favourite. Turkey season is warmer, the days are longer but the ticks (at least where I live) are horrendous. The turkey harvest offers many exciting culinary options to enjoy and the turkey meatball soup is quickly becoming a favourite turkey dish of mine.
One of the most exciting parts of turkey hunting lies in the pursuit itself. Scouting their roosts, listening for that gobble at the break of dawn, having the birds come right in to your calls, and then a bold tom (or jake) charging in.
Here in Eastern Ontario, we're fortunate to have a healthy and plentiful turkey population, thanks to the efforts of dedicated hunters, aka conservationists. It's important to share our culture to ensure that future generations can get into turkey hunting.
Now for that soup. This soup is hearty with vegetables, grains and turkey meatballs. Here's how I make the turkey meatballs and the soup:
Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (Panko style)
1/2 small onion, diced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 egg
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil for cooking
Instructions:
Preheat your over to 375°F (190°C).
You are going to want to cook and partially cool these meatballs before adding them to the soup, so don't even worry about the soup just yet.
Wash and chop the fresh parsley, basil, oregano, and rosemary finely.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, chopped fresh parsley, basil, oregano, and rosemary. Using your hands really is the easiest way to mix this. Wetting your hands a bit helps prevent the meat and mixture from sticking to your hands.
Crack the egg into the mixture and add Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper according to your taste. Those last three ingredients really compliment the turkey nicely, wild or domestic.
Use your hands or a spoon to thoroughly combine all the ingredients until well mixed. Ensure the mixture is evenly distributed.
Lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking, then shape the mixture into evenly sized meatballs. You can make them small or large, depending on your preference.
Transfer the meatballs to a baking sheet that is greased or lined with parchment paper.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Flip the meatballs onto the other side and bake for another 10 minutes. Roll the meatballs onto the side that is not browned, and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through. Time will vary depending on the size of the meatballs. You will rotate the meatballs so many times to ensure they brown nicely all over.
To ensure the meatballs are fully cooked, cut one in half. It should have no pink in the center, and the internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
Once done, remove the meatballs from the oven, setting the sheet on a cooling rack so they can cool down. If the meatballs are too hot when they are added to the soup they will just fall apart.
Ingredients:
1500 ml chicken broth
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small white onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small potato, diced
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
950 ml tomato sauce
1 cup baby spinach
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup rice
Instructions:
Wash and dice your white onion, carrot, celery and potato. Place your diced potatoes in cold water to help remove some starch. I like to dice them into very small cubes as I find it makes a nicer texture in the soup overall, but if you prefer a chunkier soup you can dice your vegetables larger. This isn't an exact science.
Wash and chop the fresh basil, parsley, oregano, and rosemary. Fresh really is best. If you have leftover fresh herbs, you can click here to see ways to store and preserve to eliminate waste. You can add a bit of oil to these chopped herbs to make a slurry. While I often use the individual fresh herbs, I will sometimes use an Italian Herb paste that can be found in your local grocery store in the refrigerated vegetable section. Maybe it's there. I don't know if all grocery stores are the same but this is what it looks like. This paste comes in a little tube - it's very potent and handy.
Now that your vegetables and herbs are prepared, grab a large pot and heat up your 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I've used a garlic infused olive oil a few times and it's delicious.
Anyways, once your oil is heated up add your onion and sauté until slightly cooked and fragrant. Scent is taste. Remove the potatoes from the water and dry them with a paper towel. Add your diced carrots, celery and potato to the pot with the onion and oil. Sauté your vegetables until they begin to soften.
Pour in the chicken broth and mix. Add your rice, barley, chopped basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, and chilli flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
Pour in the tomato sauce and stir well to combine. Let the soup simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Just make sure the barley and rice is cooked before you remove it from the heat.
Stir in the baby spinach and cream. Allow the spinach to wilt and the cream to incorporate into the soup so you don't see those white swirls anymore. Right before serving, sprinkle the shredded parmesan cheese into the soup and mix quickly. Don't over mix.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding salt and pepper to taste. Don't burn your tongue.
Hearty Turkey Meatball Soup
Ingredients
Turkey Meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs panko
- 1/2 small white onion diced
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp basil fresh
- 1 tbsp parsley fresh
- 1 tbsp oregano fresh
- 1 tsp rosemary fresh
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking
Soup
- 950 mls chicken broth
- 1/2 small white onion diced
- 1 medium carrot diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 small potato diced
- 1 tbsp basil fresh
- 1 tbsp parsley fresh
- 1 tbsp oregagno fresh
- 1 tsp rosemary fresh
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 950 ml tomato sauce
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup barley
- 1/2 cup rice
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat your over to 375°F (190°C).
- You are going to want to cook and partially cool these meatballs before adding them to the soup, so don't even worry about the soup just yet.
- Wash and chop the fresh parsley, basil, oregano, and rosemary finely.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, chopped fresh parsley, basil, oregano, and rosemary. Using your hands really is the easiest way to mix this. Wetting your hands a bit helps prevent the meat and mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Crack the egg into the mixture and add Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper according to your taste. Those last three ingredients really compliment the turkey nicely, wild or domestic.
- Use your hands or a spoon to thoroughly combine all the ingredients until well mixed. Ensure the mixture is evenly distributed.
- Lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking, then shape the mixture into evenly sized meatballs. You can make them small or large, depending on your preference.
- Transfer the meatballs to a baking sheet that is greased or lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Flip the meatballs onto the other side and bake for another 10 minutes. Roll the meatballs onto the side that is not browned, and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through. Time will vary depending on the size of the meatballs. You will rotate the meatballs so many times to ensure they brown nicely all over.
- To ensure the meatballs are fully cooked, cut one in half. It should have no pink in the center, and the internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
- Once done, remove the meatballs from the oven, setting the sheet on a cooling rack so they can cool down. If the meatballs are too hot when they are added to the soup they will just fall apart.
Soup
- Wash and dice your white onion, carrot, celery and potato. Place your diced potatoes in cold water to help remove some starch. I like to dice them into very small cubes as I find it makes a nicer texture in the soup overall, but if you prefer a chunkier soup you can dice your vegetables larger. This isn't an exact science.
- Wash and chop the fresh basil, parsley, oregano, and rosemary. Fresh really is best. If you have leftover fresh herbs, you can click here to see ways to store and preserve to eliminate waste. You can add a bit of oil to these chopped herbs to make a slurry. While I often use the individual fresh herbs, I will sometimes use an Italian Herb paste that can be found in your local grocery store in the refrigerated vegetable section. Maybe it's there. I don't know if all grocery stores are the same but this is what it looks like. This paste comes in a little tube - it's very potent and handy.
- Now that your vegetables and herbs are prepared, grab a large pot and heat up your 2 tablespoons of olive oil. I've used a garlic infused olive oil a few times and it's delicious.
- Anyways, once your oil is heated up add your onion and sauté until slightly cooked and fragrant. Scent is taste. Remove the potatoes from the water and dry them with a paper towel. Add your diced carrots, celery and potato to the pot with the onion and oil. Sauté your vegetables until they begin to soften.
- Pour in the chicken broth and mix. Add your rice, barley, chopped basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary, and chilli flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and stir well to combine. Let the soup simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Just make sure the barley and rice is cooked before you remove it from the heat.
- Stir in the baby spinach and cream. Allow the spinach to wilt and the cream to incorporate into the soup so you don't see those white swirls anymore. Right before serving, sprinkle the shredded parmesan cheese into the soup and mix quickly. Don't over mix.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding salt and pepper to taste. Don't burn your tongue.
