Description
A lighter twist on the classic Italian wedding soup, featuring lean turkey meatballs, tender greens, and a bright splash of lemon for a refreshing, nourishing one-pot meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup small pasta (like acini di pepe or orzo)
- 4 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the meatballs:
- 450g ground turkey
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat preferred)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix all meatball ingredients until just combined. Roll into small 1-inch balls and set aside.
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and carrots. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Carefully add meatballs to the pot. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add pasta and cook for another 8-10 minutes, or until pasta and meatballs are cooked through.
- Stir in spinach or kale and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, optionally garnished with extra Parmesan and lemon zest.
Notes
- Use ground chicken in place of turkey if preferred.
- Lemon zest can be added for a stronger citrus note.
- This soup freezes well—just leave out the pasta until reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 70mg