Turkey meatball soup: simple and dietary

Nutritional value, calorie content of meatballs for soup

Soups with meatballs are often classified as dietary dishes not in terms of calorie content, but in terms of ease of digestion - ground meat and boiled vegetables are easier to digest. For this reason, soups with such products are included in the diet of many diets. The nutrient content of meatballs is largely determined by the meat used to prepare them.

At the same time, adding butter, cereal and eggs, and in some recipes lard, increases the calorie content of meatballs. This can be seen in the recipes described in the article. Data on the nutrient content of 100 g of raw meatballs is collected in the table, the third column contains information on the calorie content of raw meat used for minced meat.

Thus, it is noticeable that the greatest increase in calorie content is in cod meatballs, in relation to pure minced meat. At the same time, the products remain among the lowest in calories.

Turkey soup

So, the first course is necessarily meat on the bone. And today I have this huge turkey drumstick! Its weight is 1 kg. 100 gr. That's a lot for one dish! That's why I cut off some of the meat. I'll make a second dish from it.

In addition to the meat, I will add salt to the broth (I use coarse salt) and bay leaf with black peppercorns.

What will I make the soup from? For the soup, I will take three potatoes, one small onion and half a carrot. I really want some color, so I’ll add fresh sweet bell pepper and one tomato, which I grated. Just a little vermicelli, which, by the way, can be replaced with any other pasta or even made homemade noodles. More fresh parsley will do, a little more. oils, sour borscht and salt to taste.

1. I like to cook broth in a slow cooker. It's simple and convenient. Moreover, it’s so hot here now that a slow cooker just helps! I place the bone and pieces of turkey meat into the multicooker bowl and fill it with 2 liters of water.

2. I set the “quenching” mode first for 1 hour, then add another half an hour. I always add salt to the broth at the end, 15 minutes before it’s ready.

3. Look how clear the turkey broth is. Now I will strain it and cook the soup, but on the stove. Although you can continue in the slow cooker on the “soup” mode.

4. The broth is already in the pan. Add the prepared potatoes and cook until half cooked. About 10 minutes.

5. During this time, lightly sauté the vegetables. I pour a spoonful of vegetable oil into the frying pan. oil and pour out all the vegetables at once. I keep it on medium heat for literally two minutes.

6. As soon as the vegetables change color, add the tomatoes. This step will make the soup flavorful and beautiful!

7. Instead of fresh tomatoes, you can add a small spoon of tomato paste. Simmer for about a minute.

8. Then add vermicelli to the semi-cooked potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. And only then add the stewed vegetables.

9. Just look at this color!

10. Let it boil and check for salt. If necessary, add. Then I add sour borscht, let it boil again and add chopped parsley.

11. I wait for the soup to boil and turn off the heat. Don't rush to take a sample right away. Cover the pan with a lid and let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes. All the aromas will unite, calm down, and then you can pour it into plates!

Turkey soup turns out very tasty. The meat was fully cooked and so tender!

Friends, prepare your first courses! It’s very tasty, healthy, and with my step-by-step photo recipes it’s not at all difficult!

Bon appetit everyone, if you are at the table now, have a nice weekend and see you new recipes on our delicious and homemade!

How to choose ingredients for meatballs for soup

It is not customary to add garlic to minced meatballs, at least not in noticeable quantities. An exception is if semi-finished products are fried before adding to the soup. Among the types of meat, pork is optimal in terms of the consistency of the resulting minced meat; veal is slightly inferior to it. Mixed minced meat is prepared in proportions of 2:1 (pork to beef), or the amount of pork pulp is increased even more.

Meatballs for soup (a recipe made from minced turkey or beef) can come out tough and dry.

Recipe for meatballs for soup
To avoid this, grind the pulp 2-3 times, adding some lard to it. Onions used in meatballs are mainly juicy, white or purple. If semi-finished products are prepared with boiled rice, it is customary to wash it before and after boiling, otherwise a large amount of gluten will give the meatballs an unpleasant consistency.

For soups with meatballs, it is best to cook the broth separately, using the bones from which the fillet was removed into minced meat.

Strong chicken broths from wings, legs and frames, or prepared from bird offal, are suitable. A simple and guaranteed tasty broth comes out without excess spices; in addition to the meat parts, just add an onion and a couple of whole carrots to the water. Celery roots and parsley will add a fresh and slightly spicy taste to the broth.

Cooking features

• It is better to prepare minced meat for meatballs with your own hands, since a store-bought product may contain cartilage, skin and veins, which negatively affects its nutritional value and organoleptic qualities. From minced meat made from turkey breast fillet, meatballs will come out similar to chicken ones, and from a poultry thigh or drumstick, products will look like those made from beef.
• When purchasing minced meat in a store, give preference to products from trusted manufacturers who value their reputation. At the same time, pay attention to the expiration date of the product and the integrity of the packaging.
• Meatballs will come out juicier from fresh or chilled meat product, but frozen minced meat can also be used to prepare them. It is recommended to defrost meat or minced meat made from it in natural conditions, without sudden temperature changes. An attempt to speed up the process using a microwave will lead to a deterioration in its organoleptic qualities.
• Meatballs can be made from minced meat alone, adding only salt and seasonings. Sometimes chopped vegetables, mainly onions or garlic, or cereals (rice, semolina) are added to the minced meat. Meatballs acquire an interesting taste when cheese and fresh herbs are added to the minced meat.
• An egg can also be included in the minced meat, but it is not a required ingredient. Many chefs prefer not to add eggs to the minced meatballs, as they make the products too dense. On the other hand, such meatballs retain their shape better. The right to choose a recipe for turkey balls for soup remains with the cook.
• To make it easier to form meatballs, wet your hands with water.
• Meatballs the size of a walnut are considered the most suitable for soup, as they fit whole in the mouth. However, if you are preparing lunch for a child, the meatballs can be made smaller. Also, there is no need to add pepper and other spices to the minced meatballs intended for children, especially if they have a hot taste.

When serving, soup with turkey meatballs can be seasoned with sour cream and sprinkled with chopped herbs. Both the appearance and taste of the dish will benefit from this.

Secrets of making meatballs for soup

Often, in order to reduce calorie content, minced meat is prepared from white chicken fillet taken from the breast of the bird. The mass comes out a little dry and you have to add butter to it. As a result, the calorie content increases slightly, but remains lower than that of pork or beef meatballs.

Using sautéed onions is another way to make meatballs juicier and give them a rich flavor. Typically, bulbs of the so-called salad varieties are used - large, with white flesh. They are cut into small pieces and sautéed with a small amount of refined or aromatic oil.

You can make absolutely any minced meat more tender by adding beaten egg whites. The masses are mixed before molding the semi-finished products, carefully using a spoon. Another well-known and effective way is to mix a certain amount of white breadcrumbs into the minced meat.

Meatballs for soup (a recipe made from minced meat with breadcrumbs) absorb water when cooked and become juicier, but it must be taken into account that with such an additive the products themselves lose their elasticity. If there is a large amount of croutons, the meatballs will disintegrate in the broth. To a certain extent, this can be corrected by mixing in eggs, but the minced meat becomes thinner and less shaped.

Cheese soup with meatballs and processed cheese

Try this option too. I really like cheese soups. They seem so tender, but at the same time, they are quite nutritious and very tasty.

Ingredients for 4 liters of water:

• Potatoes - 4 pcs.
• Rice - 1 glass
• Onion - 1 pc.
• Carrots - pcs.
• Processed cheese - 2 pcs
• Minced meat (pork + beef) - 450 gr
• Egg - 1 pc.
• Salt, ground pepper - to taste
• Vegetable oil - for frying
• Bay leaf - 2-3 pcs.
• Greens (dill, parsley) - to taste

Preparation:

1. First, prepare all the ingredients. Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes or slices. Cut the onion into small cubes. Grate the carrots on a medium grater. Chop the greens with a knife. Rinse the rice thoroughly. Pour water into a saucepan and put on fire.

2. Pour vegetable oil into a hot frying pan and add onions. Fry it until half cooked, then add the carrots. Add salt, pepper and stir. Fry until the carrots turn golden. Then add a little water and simmer until the water evaporates.

3. Add ground pepper, salt to the minced meat and break the egg. Stir well, beat it a little and form meat balls. Be sure to wet your hands with water. Also wet the plate in which you will put them with water.

4. By this time, the water in the pan should already be boiling. Add bay leaf, potatoes and washed rice to it. Once the water boils again, cook for 5 minutes. Then add salt to the broth and add the meatballs. Stir and cook for another 15-20 minutes until the potatoes and rice are completely cooked.

5. After the elapsed time, add frying, grated processed cheese and herbs. Cook for another 5 minutes. After this, our soup will be completely ready and can be served for lunch.

Before starting cooking, keep the processed cheese in the freezer for a little while so that it hardens and becomes stronger. Remove and grate it just before adding it to the broth.

Meatball Soup Recipes

Meatballs for soups differ little from products for preparing second courses, mainly in size, and a lower content of fillers - bread and cereals. Also, slightly less spices and onions are used. Most recipes are given along with a description of how to prepare light soups with meatballs.

Chicken meatballs for light soup

By slightly changing the ingredients, you can vary the calorie content of the soup: for the dietary table, white meat is cut off from the carcass, and using the drumsticks and thighs, a more high-calorie dish is prepared.

What to cook from:

• chicken meat (breast) – 500 g;
• medium-sized onion;
• 45 g sweet butter;
• a handful of parsley leaves;
• a raw egg;
• salt and a pinch of pepper;
• vegetables for soup - carrots, peas, potatoes.

How to cook:

1. The chicken is washed and cut into cubes of arbitrary size. The onion without the husk is dissolved into several cloves, the parsley is rinsed and the leaves are removed from the stems.
2. The prepared ingredients are ground in a meat grinder, an egg is poured into the minced meat, and the butter is thinly sliced ​​(you can add softened butter). Knead the mass with your hands, add salt and pepper at the end.
3. The minced meat must be given sufficient density so that the products do not fall apart during cooking. Collect it into a lump, and with some effort throw it into an empty bowl, repeat several times.
4. Moisten your hands with cool water, scoop out the minced meat with a small spoon. Portions are rolled between your palms, forming balls smaller than a walnut. Place the meatballs on a cutting board, not allowing them to touch.
5. Peas do not need to be defrosted, other vegetables are peeled and cut into cubes, carrots are centimeter-sized, and potatoes are slightly smaller than meatballs. Up to 15 min. Boil the carrots in salted boiling water, then add the potatoes and simmer for another 10 minutes.
6. The last thing to add to the soup is the peas and at the same time the meatballs. Cook for another 10 minutes, turn off the heat, but be sure to let the dish brew.

The parsley listed in the product list is used in minced meat. In addition to it, the soup should be seasoned with chopped dill, very finely chopping the juicy panicles. You should avoid greens in minced meat if the meatballs are prepared for future use by freezing.

Beef meatballs for hearty soups

In addition to changing the composition of the minced meat, there are some peculiarities in the preparation of both the semi-finished products themselves and the soup based on them. You can use these subtleties for soups with meatballs made with poultry.

What to cook from:

• lean beef tenderloin – 450 g or ready-made minced beef – 400 g;
• small salad onion;
• a handful of small breadcrumbs for breading;
• 60 g butter “Traditional”;
• chopped dill – 1/2 cup;
• freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt;
• potatoes – 1 kg;
• vegetable oil and sour cream - as needed.

How to cook:

1. Peel and finely chop the onion, heat 20 ml of vegetable oil in a frying pan and brown the onion slices in it.
2. Remove all films and veins from the tenderloin, grind the meat twice and combine it with the onion sauté.
3. The weight of the finished minced meat is indicated slightly less, since when cutting the meat its quantity will decrease.
4. Thinly slice the butter into the minced meat, add salt and breadcrumbs. Pepper to taste, then thoroughly knead and beat.
5. Meatballs are shaped into small ones, weighing approximately 15–20 g. Place on a cutting board in the refrigerator.
6. Potatoes are peeled and cut into cubes or cubes. Boil until half cooked in 3 liters of water, salt and add meatballs.
7. Cook for another 10 minutes, then take a sample. Portions of soup are seasoned with sour cream and dill.

Meatballs for soup (minced beef recipe) with minor modifications can make the soup noticeably more flavorful and satisfying. The products are breaded with flour and quickly fried at maximum heat, pouring a thin layer of oil into the pan. Next, prepare according to the described recipe.

Soup with vegetables and turkey meatballs

Meatball soup according to the following recipe can be classified as a hearty first course. If the task is to prepare a dietary dish with turkey, it is better to use it for minced meat according to the first recipe.

What to prepare the broth from:

• turkey soup set (wings, frame, trimmings) – up to 600 g;
• 150 g of carrots and onions;
• 20 ml oil;
• 1/2 small celery root and parsley;
• pepper, dry clove bud and salt.

For the meatballs:

• 350 g turkey pulp (any parts of the carcass);
• 250 g smoked pork belly (use the ribs in the broth);
• a pair of onions;
• a raw egg;
• salt, grated nutmeg and pepper.

For the soup:

• a couple of medium carrots;
• mixed greens - a small bunch;
• 2 potatoes.

How to cook:

1. Parts of the turkey intended for preparing broth are washed and feathered. Place on a non-stick roasting pan. The baking sheet must be greased with oil and the oven must be preheated to 180°C. Bake the turkey until golden brown, turning if necessary.
2. The turkey is transferred to a pan, the fat is drained, and a little boiling water is poured into a baking sheet and the fried particles are carefully separated from it. Place it in a saucepan with water and add boiling water. Add coarsely chopped roots, salt and spices. Peel the onions and carrots and leave them whole, add the brisket ribs.
3. The fat left over from frying the turkey is added to the pan as desired. Heat until boiling, reduce the heat under the broth, and cook for 90 minutes. under the lid. Then the parts of the bird are selected, the vegetables are removed, the broth is filtered and centimeter cubes of carrots and larger chopped potatoes are dipped into it.
4. The boiled meat is removed from the bones, the bacon and raw turkey are finely chopped, together with the egg and onion slices, they are ground in a blender or meat grinder. The mass is seasoned and salted, kneaded with a spoon, and meatballs are formed from it. Place on a plate and temporarily refrigerate.
5. Check the readiness of the vegetables in the pan and carefully place them in a bowl. In broth, 3 minutes each. from boiling again, cook the meatballs, also setting aside the finished ones. Portions are served by placing meatballs and boiled vegetables on plates, pouring broth and sprinkling with herbs.

Meatballs for soup (a recipe made from minced meat with the addition of pork) can be made less caloric not only by refusing to use fat from the baking sheet. Brisket can be completely replaced by bacon; you can choose slices with minimal thickness of fat layers.

Another option is to use smoked poultry. Turkey in this form is a rather rare product, but ground chicken breast or pulp from a leg is also quite suitable. If the minced meat is poorly shaped after such replacements, an egg is released into it and additionally beaten into a bowl.

Minced pork meatballs with rice

Soup from such products is prepared literally in minutes. There is no need to add vegetables, pasta or potatoes.

Ingredients:

• ground pork – 450 g;
• pork lard – 120 g;
• large onion;
• salt and fine pepper;
• 1 chicken and 30 quail eggs;
• greenery;
• a bunch of onion feathers;
• 120 g round rice cereal.

How to cook:

1. The sorted grains are thoroughly washed and boiled in slowly boiling lightly salted water. The broth is drained and the rice is washed under the tap.
2. The pork is ground together with lard, kneaded and passed through a meat grinder a second time, adding chopped onions. The minced meat is seasoned and salted.
3. Pour a chicken egg into the meat mixture, finely chop it and add a handful of greens. The minced meat is thoroughly kneaded first on its own, then together with the rice.
4. Scooping the mixture with a small spoon and using wet palms, roll out portions of the minced meat into meatballs. Quail eggs are hard-boiled, cooled and peeled.
5. Meatballs are cooked in portions of several pieces in a liter of salted water. The resulting steep broth is diluted with boiling water to the required amount.
6. Meatballs and eggs are placed in portioned plates and poured with broth. Part of the onion and greens are chopped and seasoned with soup, the rest is served with gray bread.

The minced meat can also be mixed; the amount of lard can be reduced if desired. If you choose minced meat from lean chicken, then the amount of fat, on the contrary, should be increased.

Soup with pork meatballs on semolina

An alternative version of meatballs can be prepared with semolina. The soup recipe is described in full, as an example of a simple first course with meatballs.

What to cook from:

• minced pork (or pork and beef) – 500 g;
• 60 ml oil;
• thin vermicelli - a couple of handfuls;
• 5 small potatoes;
• 1 carrot and 1 white onion;
• salt and a pinch of pepper;
• semolina - 3 tbsp. l.;
• a raw egg;
• 2500 ml broth;
• greenery.

How to cook:

1. Peel potato tubers, carrots and onions. It is convenient to grate the carrots, dissolve the remaining vegetables into centimeter cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan with a massive bottom, add the onions, and a minute later add salt and carrot shavings.
3. The minced meat is ground at least 3 times, setting the meat grinder to the finest grinding. Place an egg in a bowl, add semolina, pepper and salt.
4. After thoroughly kneading the meat mass, beat it on the bottom of the bowl. Moisten your palms with oil or cold water and roll out small semi-finished meatballs.
5. Pour broth into the browned sauté, stir and bring to a boil. Dip the potatoes into it and remove the foam, cook for 10 minutes.
6. The soup is salted and seasoned, the meatballs are placed in the pan and cooked for a quarter of an hour at a low boil. Add web vermicelli, and after a couple of minutes season with chopped herbs.

You can choose any type of broth, but poultry broth is more suitable. You can offer croutons or croutons with the soup.

Minced cod meatballs

This option is not suitable for fisherman's fish soup, but, for example, it is better to offer children a dish in which the risk of getting bones is minimal.

What to cook from:

• cod fillet or prepared minced fish – 500 g;
• fresh egg;
• 35 ml oil;
• salt;
• large onion;
• 70 ml sour cream;
• a slice of white loaf;
• a handful of wheat flour;
• ground pepper.

How to cook:

1. The bread used for minced meatballs is not soaked; after thawing, the fish is cut, simultaneously checking for the absence of bones. Grind at least 2 times, adding bread the second time.
2. The onion is peeled and finely chopped with a knife. Sauté in heated oil and add it to the minced meat. Add sour cream, egg and pepper, mix and finally add salt.
3. Meatballs for soup (minced cod fillet recipe) are formed by rolling portions between the palms. Bread them lightly with flour and place them on a towel or board.
4. A soup made from meatballs alone will not be too rich; it is best to boil the heads, fins and trimmings of large fish first. Strain the broth, then cook vegetables (potatoes, carrots) in it.
5. Next, fish balls are dipped into the boiling broth and cooked for 5–7 minutes, depending on the size. They serve portions with greens.

The popular method of improving the taste of fish soups by adding vodka is unacceptable for this recipe. Soups with fish balls are often included in children's diets, and in this case such experiments are extremely inappropriate.

Mackerel meatball soup

Soup is prepared from this fish either using fillet slices or grinding it into minced meat. The meatballs come out fluffy, and the soup is aromatic and rich.

What to cook from:

• large fresh frozen mackerel – 1 carcass (600 g);
• 150 g leeks;
• small sour lemon;
• pepper, bay leaf and a pinch of salt;
• chili pepper;
• small onions – 3 pcs.;
• salmon soup set – up to 1 kg.

How to cook:

1. Thawed mackerel is beheaded and the belly is ripped open. The insides are cleaned, the gills are removed from the head, then the fish is washed with water pressure.
2. The tail and small fins are cut off with scissors, placed in a pan, and the head and soup set are also sent there.
3. The fillet is cut from both sides of the ridge, the peritoneal bones are carefully removed and the skin is separated. These parts are also used for broth.
4. The fish fillet is ground with two onions and a peppercorn, cleared of seeds. The minced meat is added and seasoned.
5. Pour 2.5 liters of water into the fish parts for the broth, heat until boiling and skim off the foam. Add spices, peeled onions and the green part of the leek.
6. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan, and after 20 minutes. remove from heat and strain. Form small meatballs and return the broth to heat.
7. Place the meatballs in the pan and count down 6 minutes. from boiling and salt the dish to taste.

Instead of salmon parts, you can gut another mackerel carcass. It is simply cut into pieces and boiled with trimmings from cut fish.

Minced meatballs with mushrooms

Ingredients:

• fresh champignons, any size – 150 g;
• slice of pork tenderloin – 500 g;
• 3 potatoes;
• a couple of small onions and one carrot of the same weight;
• 1/2 red bell pepper;
• garlic;
• vegetable oil – 60 ml;
• salt and ground pepper mixture;
• onion feathers.

How to cook:

1. The pork is washed and dried with a towel; excess moisture in the minced meat is not needed. Cut into pieces convenient for grinding, removing films and, if desired, fat.
2. The pulp is ground and the minced meat is kneaded, the onion can be grated or finely chopped into it and the mass can be processed through a meat grinder again. It is more convenient to crush garlic (1 medium-sized clove) with special press tongs.
3. Potatoes are peeled and cut into cubes, as for deep-frying. Pour a liter of boiling water and turn on moderate heat under the pan. Grate the carrots, finely chop the second onion and sauté the vegetables until golden brown in half the oil.
4. The frying is temporarily laid out, the rest of the oil is poured into the frying pan and the peeled and washed champignons are quickly cut into thin slices. Fry the mushrooms with constant stirring until a rich amber color.
5. If dried forest mushrooms are used instead of greenhouse mushrooms, they are first soaked by pouring boiling water over them for a quarter of an hour. The swollen mushrooms are placed on a sieve and boiled after draining, immersed in salted boiling water for 20 minutes. Next, the broth is poured into a pan with vegetables, and the mushrooms are ground together with the minced meat.
6. The frying is sent to the pan with the almost cooked potatoes, the minced meat mixed with mushrooms is formed into balls with a diameter of 3-4 cm. The meatballs are dipped into the broth, followed by finely chopped pepper. Cook for up to 10 minutes, then pepper and add salt to taste.
7. Onion feathers are cut into narrow rings and ready-made portions are seasoned with herbs. The soup with meatballs is served with thick sour cream and bread with bran or gray flour.

Meatballs with mushrooms, if they are not ground but cut, can turn out to be quite capricious and fall apart during cooking. To avoid this, it is better to sacrifice the spectacular pieces of mushrooms and still grind them.

Easy Turkey Meatball Soup Recipe

Compound:

• minced turkey meat – 0.5 kg;
• onions – 0.2 kg;
• carrots – 0.2 kg;
• potatoes – 0.3-0.4 kg;
• universal seasoning, dried vegetables, ground black pepper, salt - to taste;
• water – 2.5 l.

Cooking method:

• Place the ground turkey in a bowl, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and knead with hands moistened with water. Separate a small portion of the minced meat, form it into a ball the size of a walnut, and place it on a cutting board. Make the same meatballs from the remaining minced meat.
• Scrub the carrots, wash them, and pat dry with a napkin. Cut it into circles. If the root vegetable is large, it is better to cut it into quarters of circles.
• Remove the peel from the onion and cut into small cubes.
• Boil water, put onions and carrots in it.
• Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut it into cubes about 1.5 cm in size. Place it in boiling water 10 minutes after the carrots and onions.
• 10 minutes after the potatoes, place the meatballs in the boiling liquid. Wait for them to float up.
• Add dried herbs and universal seasoning to the soup and add salt to the dish. If your seasoning already contains salt, add salt to the broth with caution, as there is a risk of oversalting it.
• After adding seasonings, simmer the soup for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
• Let the soup simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes.

The soup according to this recipe can be prepared not with dried seasonings, but with fresh herbs; parsley is especially good. Fresh herbs are added to the soup 3-5 minutes before it is ready. If you put it in earlier, it will lose its appetizing appearance. If the soup with herbs is not boiled, it will quickly turn sour. You can also sprinkle the soup with herbs already in the bowls before serving.

How to store meatballs for soup

Already boiled meatballs for adding to the broth are stored in the refrigerator in a covered container for up to 3 days. The meatball soup itself usually lasts for the same amount of time. Meatballs can be packed in a plastic bag and kept raw for 2 days at temperatures up to +6°C.

If semi-finished products are pre-fried, the shelf life increases by another 24 hours. Meatballs made from any type of minced meat can be stored frozen for up to 3 months. The only recommendation is to exclude greens from the recipe; after freezing, they can give the soup a peculiar flavor.