Description
A delightful and light summer minestrone soup featuring savory turkey meatballs, fresh vegetables, and flavorful herbs, all simmered to perfection in a fragrant broth. This dish is a perfect blend of hearty and healthy, making it a satisfying meal for any time of the year.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the turkey meatballs:
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 3/4 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
Instructions
- Make the turkey meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, Panko, Parmesan, garlic, basil, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper, then form into small meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs: Brown the meatballs in a stockpot, then set aside.
- Prepare the soup base: Sauté garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Add thyme, chicken stock, bay leaves, pasta, and meatballs. Simmer until pasta is tender.
- Finish the soup: Stir in zucchini, spinach, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy hot.
Notes
- You can customize this soup by adding other seasonal vegetables like bell peppers or peas.
- For a vegetarian version, swap the turkey meatballs with vegetarian meatballs or tofu balls.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 760mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
