Meatball soup

The last time I made meatball soup was on a day when I had several vegetables in the fridge and a couple of pork bones left from a barbecue. I like this recipe because it doesn’t require anything sophisticated and it turns out just as well with chicken if I don’t have pork bones on hand. I always make the meatballs with a bit of parsley and garlic, but sometimes I also add a few tablespoons of semolina to help them hold together while boiling.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1.5 hours
Servings: 8-10
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: family soup, lunch, traditional recipe

Ingredients

For the soup:
6 carrots
4 parsley roots
1 celery
2 onions
1 bell pepper
1-2 pork bones with meat or chicken (or just vegetables)
chopped fresh tomatoes or tomato juice/paste (depending on the season and what you have)
50 g rice (optional)
water – about 4 liters
2 eggs
lemon balm leaves
vinegar (to taste)
salt and pepper
For the meatballs:
500 g minced meat (pork, beef, chicken, or a mix)
1 egg
parsley leaves
1 garlic clove (optional)
2-3 tablespoons of semolina
salt and pepper

Preparation method

1. Preparing the vegetables and the soup base
Peel all the vegetables. Cut the carrots, parsley roots, celery, onion, and bell pepper into small pieces, about the size of a tablespoon. Sauté them all, except for the tomatoes, in a large pot with a little oil or even without, over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until they change color and start to soften.

2. Boiling the meat
Add the pork bones (or chicken or vegetables if you’re making the meatless version) over the sautéed vegetables. Pour about 4 liters of cold water over everything and let it boil over medium heat. Remove any foam that forms on the surface, if necessary. Let it boil until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 45-60 minutes.

3. Adding tomatoes and spices
When the vegetables and meat are well cooked, add the chopped tomatoes or paste. If using paste, add a few tablespoons to taste, depending on how tomatoey you want the soup. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Preparing the meatballs
While the soup is boiling, prepare the meatballs. In a bowl, mix the minced meat with the egg, salt, pepper, chopped parsley leaves, crushed garlic (if using), and 2-3 tablespoons of semolina. The mixture should not be too firm, but you should be able to easily shape small balls, about the size of a small walnut.

5. Adding rice and meatballs
When the soup is almost ready, add the rice (if you want). Immediately after, shape the meatballs between your palms and add them one by one into the boiling soup. Do not stir them in the first few minutes to avoid breaking them apart. Boil the meatballs for 10-15 minutes until they float and are well cooked inside.

6. Finalizing
Turn off the heat. Let the soup sit for 20-30 minutes to settle and clarify a bit. In a bowl, beat the 2 eggs well with a fork. Gradually add a little hot broth over the eggs, stirring continuously, then pour this mixture into the pot with the soup, stirring gently. This way, the egg will incorporate without clumping. Adjust the sourness with vinegar to your liking.

7. Serving
Sprinkle with freshly chopped lemon balm leaves. Serve the soup hot, with sour cream and hot peppers on the side.

Why I make this recipe often

This soup is made with ingredients I always have at home. It can easily adapt to whatever meat or vegetables are on hand. The meatballs can be made smaller or larger, depending on preference. It lasts a day or two in the fridge and is good reheated.

Tips and variations

Tips

Do not add too much semolina to the meatballs, or they will turn out tough.
If you don’t have bones with meat, use chicken with bones or even extra minced meat.
Vinegar is added at the end, to taste. You can also use lemon juice.
Do not boil the egg directly in the soup; dilute it with hot broth first.
Substitutions

Pork bones can be replaced with chicken or just vegetables.
Fresh tomatoes can be replaced with tomato paste or juice.
Semolina in the meatballs can be replaced with a little rice if you prefer.
Variations

You can leave the soup meatless, just with meatballs made from minced meat.
If you want fluffier meatballs, use a combination of beef and pork.
Instead of lemon balm, parsley works too.
Serving ideas

Serve hot, with sour cream at the table.
Goes well with fresh or pickled hot peppers.
You can add a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice right in the bowl.

Frequently asked questions

What type of meat is best for meatballs?
I usually use pork or a mix of pork and beef, as they turn out more tender. Chicken also works well, but the meatballs are lighter.

Can I make the soup just with vegetables and no meat at all?
Yes, you can omit the bones or meat and make it only with vegetables and meatballs. The taste will be a bit lighter, but still good.

Can I freeze the meatballs before boiling them?
The meatballs can be shaped and frozen raw. You boil them directly from frozen, but they will need a few extra minutes to cook.

How can I avoid the eggs in the soup from turning into "scrambled eggs"?
Beat the eggs separately and add a little hot broth over them, stirring continuously, before pouring them into the pot. This way, they will combine without clumping.

Nutritional values

Estimated for a medium serving (with pork and rice): about 200-250 kcal, protein 14-18 g, carbohydrates 14-18 g, fats 10-14 g. Values vary depending on the type and amount of meat, the addition of sour cream, and the amount of rice or paste.

Storage and reheating

The meatball soup keeps well in the fridge for 2 days. When reheating, do not let it boil too long, to avoid breaking the meatballs or curdling the egg. I do not recommend freezing the finished soup, but raw meatballs can be frozen separately.

Meatballs: Ground meat is mixed with egg, parsley leaves, garlic, semolina, salt, and pepper. The meatballs are formed. All the vegetables (except for tomatoes) are finely chopped and sautéed; when they are well cooked, water (~4 liters) and bones for the soup are added. Everything is allowed to boil well, then finely chopped tomatoes or tomato juice are added. It is seasoned to taste. Towards the end, the meatballs are added. When everything is cooked, the soup is removed from the heat and allowed to rest (~20-30 min). Then the eggs are beaten well with a fork and added to the soup... (add a little soup to the beaten eggs to prevent curdling and keep the soup smooth). It is soured to taste! It is served with sour cream and hot peppers!

 Ingredients: 6 carrots, 4 parsley roots, 1 celery, 2 onions, 1 bell pepper, 1-2 pork bones (with some meat on them) or chicken meat or even without meat (each according to preferences); tomatoes or tomato paste, 50 g rice (optional), vinegar, 2 eggs, lovage. For meatballs: 500 g ground meat, 1 egg, parsley leaves, 1 clove of garlic (optional), salt and pepper, 2-3 tablespoons semolina.

 Tags:  meatball soup