Turkey Meatball Kale Soup Recipe

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It's that time of year when soup sounds warm and comforting. I have a handful of soup recipes that I fall back on and rotate through my cooking schedule. One of my favorites is this Turkey Meatball Kale Soup recipe.

Turkey meatball and kale soup is flavorful and filling. A light broth filled with vegetables and meatballs.

There are several versions of Meatball and Kale Soup online. I first made Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup from a recipe by the Savory Lotus. Along the way, I have made adjustments to the recipe and I thought I would share how I make Turkey Meatballs and Kale Soup.

This recipe could easily be made with ground chicken too. I try to cut down on the carbohydrate count by substituting almond and coconut flour for bread crumbs.

This healthy turkey meatball vegetable soup recipe can work with a low carbohydrate diet or for someone who needs to avoid gluten in their diet.

Ingredients

Turkey Meatball Vegetable Soup is made with homemade broth, lean ground turkey, coconut and almond flour, and vegetables including kale, carrots, and celery.

Spices

While the ingredient list might make you think this soup doesn't have a lot of flavors, I believe that you will be pleasantly surprised by how flavorful this recipe is. Spices add color and flavor to the meatballs including parsley, paprika, Italian spices, garlic salt, and red and black pepper flavor the ground turkey. Poultry seasoning and bay leaf add a finishing touch to the broth.

Homemade Broth

I always start my soups with homemade broth. It is healthy and provides more flavor than canned broth. You also have control over the ingredients used to make the broth. If you have never tried making your own broth you will be amazed at how easy it is.

I make a batch of broth every time we have turkey or a whole chicken.

Check out my bone broth recipe here.

Meatballs

The meatballs in this soup are so good. I always make a double batch and freeze half of the meatballs for use in another recipe later.

Meatball ingredients include lean ground turkey, almond flour, coconut flour, and parmesan cheese. The meatballs are flavored with parsley, Italian spices, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. They are cooked in olive oil.

The meatball mix starts out very sticky but cooks quickly. The cooked meatballs are tender but firm and hold up well to simmering in the soup.

Kale and Vegetables

If you have never tried kale or tried it raw, you may expect it to be tough and bitter. Cooking the kale makes it tender and it adds great flavor and nutrients to the soup.

I remove the kale stems, but you can chop them into 1-inch pieces and cook until tender. Kale stems can also be sauteed or pickled. I usually save the stems, freeze them, and then add them to a homemade vegetable broth.

Harvard, School of Public Health provides a great overview of the benefits of Kale here. Take a minute to read all the reasons adding kale to your soup is a good idea.

Other vegetables include chopped carrots, celery, and onions.

Substitutions

Meatballs: This soup includes meatballs made from ground turkey, but you can substitute ground chicken, ground beef, or even ground pork.

If you don't have almond flour or coconut flour and you can use whole wheat bread crumbs to form the meatballs.

Kale: If you don't have kale, you can use chopped fresh baby spinach.

Broth: If you prefer, you can use vegetable broth in place of chicken. If you don't have homemade, you can make a quick substitution with a broth base like Better Than Boullion that you can pick up a jar at a big box store or your local grocery. store.

Instructions

Step 1. Prepare meatballs. If you are lucky enough to have premade meatballs made ahead, all you need to do is pull them out of the freezer.

If you are starting from scratch, you will mix the meatball ingredients including ground turkey, egg, Parmesan cheese, flour, and spices.

You can combine ingredients with an electric mixer or start with a pastry blender, but I usually end up digging in with my hands to make sure all the ingredients are evenly incorporated into the turkey.

I use a one-tablespoon round measuring spoon to keep the size consistent so they all cook evenly.

Step 2. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add scoops of meat mixture. Cook on all sides until the internal temperature of the meatballs is 160F.

Watch meatballs closely and lower the temperature as needed so meatballs don't burn.

I always check the internal temperature of meats and baked goods to make sure they are done but not overdone. I measure internal temperature by using a temperature probe like this one #ad. Meatballs are done when the internal temperature is 165F.

Knowing the internal temperature of meat and baked goods has saved many flops in the kitchen. Set aside the meatballs to drain on paper towels.

Step 3. Next, chop the vegetables. Sauté carrots first, then celery, and finally onions over medium heat.

Step 4. Add broth, bay leaf, and poultry seasoning to the stock pot with cooked vegetables. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 5. Add meatballs and bring to a boil. Lower the temperature and simmer for 30 minutes.

Step 6. Chop kale into 1-2 inch pieces. Add to soup and simmer for 10 minutes. Add shaved parmesan cheese for garnish.

Healthy Soup Recipes

Serve this Healthy Ground Turkey Meatball Kale Soup Recipe with a leafy green salad and a slice of french bread.

Here are other soups to try White Bean, Sausage Kale Soup, Acorn Squash & Sweet Potato Soup, and Turkey & Wild Rice Soup. Click here for all my Soup Recipes.

Looking for lower-carb soups for the Keto Diet? Take a look at these options at my friend at werefarfromnormal.com.

Other Healthy Soup Recipes for You

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November 2022 Update: Added updated images and post.