“What Do I Make For Dinner?” How This Recipe Was Born
Last week, as I stood and stared blankly into my open, half-empty refrigerator, I was wondering, “what the %*#! could I make for dinner?!” I couldn’t think of anything and so I continued to stare into the abyss. Eventually, I spied a lonely package of ground beef, a pair of carrots, a celery stalk (that had seen better days), a potato and a lemon, which were lurking in the back. So, I thought, “I guess I’m making boring beef soup again.” 🙁 I scratched my head and then headed to the pantry, where I found a package of egg noodles. So now I had the ingredients to make a plain old beef soup, but no inspiration. But, moments later, an idea came to me! I would make Greek-inspired mini meatballs in a beef/chicken broth, with veggies and noodles, and infuse the soup with the juice and zest of a lemon. YUM!
What’s In Savoury Meatball Soup
And so, that’s the story behind Savoury Meatball Soup, which turned out to be one of my favourite soup recipes. This delicious soup recipe calls for ground chuck, which is then formed into mini meatballs, a blend of both beef and chicken broth, carrots, celery, potato, onion, garlic, egg noodles, an egg, some parmesan cheese, a few herbs, and the zest and juice of a lemon. The mini meatballs and the broth are both seasoned with a Greek-style blend of herbs that include dill, mint, parsley, thyme, basil and oregano. It’s a super yummy recipe and it boasts a delicious Mediterranean flavour.
The Ingredients You Will Need
- 400-450 grams of chuck or lean ground beef (I used chuck)
- 4 cups of beef broth, 3 cups of chicken broth and 1-2 cups of boiling water
- 1 large onion diced
- 1-2 stalks of celery sliced thinly
- 1-2 large carrots sliced thinly
- 1-2 yellow potatoes cubed
- 5-6 cloves of garlic
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese)
- 1 cup of bow tie egg noodles
- 1 tsp each of garlic and onion powder
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Chilli pepper flakes
- Herbs: oregano, parsley, thyme, dill, mint, basil (amounts listed on the recipe card at the end of the post)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Unsalted butter
- 1 fresh lemon (zested and juiced)
How To Make Savoury Meatball Soup
- Gather the ingredients for the meatballs and measure them out.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the ground chuck and the ingredients for the meatballs, by hand.
- Form the meatballs, place them on a baking sheet and put it in the fridge.
- Prep the carrots and celery and set aside.
- Dice the onion and set aside.
- Mince the garlic, set it aside.
- Prepare the herbal blend for the soup and set aside.
- Make the beef/chicken broth and boil extra water.
- Warm up the soup pot, add oil and 1/2 tsp sea salt and cook for 5 minutes.
- Peel & cut the potato, set aside.
- Add 1 tsp of butter to the pot, melt it, lower the heat and continue cooking the onion for 5 more minutes. As the onion cooks, it will caramelize.
- While the onion cooks, zest and squeeze the lemon.
- Drop the herbs into the pot, increase the heat and toast for 2 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic.
- Remove the onion mix, place in a bowl and set aside for now.
- Take the meatballs out of the fridge, place them in the warmed up pot, and sear each side. When they are done, remove them from the pot and set them aside.
- Deglaze the pot
- Add the onion back in and toss in the veggies. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the broth, bring it to a soft boil, drop in the meatballs and stir well.
- Drop in the noodles, stir, add salt and pepper (1/2 tsp each) and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add parsley and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Pour in the lemon juice, stir and garnish with lemon zest.
Tips and Substitutions
- Don’t over-mix the meat and meatball ingredients as it can become tough and rubbery.
- Avoid over-searing the meatballs as they will boil along with the noodles.
- Use ground chuck for juicier meatballs.
- Shape the meat into mini-sized meatballs so they will be easier to eat.
- Adjust the amount of chilli pepper flakes and black pepper in the meat mix, for a spicier meatball.
- The egg noodles can be omitted.
- Feel free to use fresh herbs in place of the dry herbs, just double the amount.
- Use butter to caramelize the onion for a sweeter taste.
How To Store Savoury Meatball Soup
Once the savoury meatball soup has completely cooled, store it in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 4 days. If you are freezing the soup, don’t add noodles to the recipe because they don’t freeze well. Portion out the leftovers into small individual freezer bags, place them in an airtight container and store the container in the freezer, for up to 3 months. To re-heat the soup, take out as many individual freezer bags as needed, place them in the fridge overnight to thaw. The next day, pour the liquid into a microwaveable bowl and re-heat it in the microwave. Or, pour the liquid into a pot and reheat it on the stove.
The Conclusion
This savoury meatball soup with noodles and vegetables is a one-pot wonder, light, yet filling, and a treat to the palette. The blend of herbs in the broth and in the meatballs, is inspired by Greek cuisine, and the addition of citrus, lends the soup a bright and fresh flavour. It is an excellent lunch option and when paired with fresh bread and a salad, it makes for a light yet filling dinner as well.
If you have the chance to make the soup, drop me a comment and let me know what you think of the recipe. And, please feel free to tag me at https://www.facebook.com/georgiaspyra/or https://www.instagram.com/delish_soups_by_georgia_spyra/ with your photos. I’d love to see your creations.
Have a Healthy & Happy 2025,
Love, Georgia Spyra
Savoury Meatball Noodle and Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 400 grams ground chuck
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes or parmesan cheese use cheese if there are no dairy allergies
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dry oregano
- ½ tsp dry parsley
- ½ tsp dry thyme
- ¼ tsp dry dill
- ¼ tsp dry mint
- 1 pinch chilli pepper flakes or add more to taste
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper or more to taste
For the Soup
- 1 large carrot slices
- 1 stalks celery slices
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 yellow potatoes peeled & cubed
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups beef broth
- ½ tsp dry oregano
- ½ tsp dry basil
- ¼ tsp dry dill
- ½ tsp dry parsley
- 1 tsp lemon zest in soup and for garnish
- 2 tbsp lemon juice in soup and for garnish
For the Garnish
- l pinch lemon zest
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients for the meatballs and measure them out.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs and mix by hand until the ingredients are combined. Do not over mix.
- Make the meatballs, place on a baking sheet and put into the refrigerator.
- Peel and cut the carrots, place into a bowl and set aside.
- Peel and dice the onion, place in a bowl and set aside.
- Mince the garlic, place in a small bowl and set aside.
- Wash and cut the celery and put in the same bowl as the carrots.
- Prepare the herb blend for the soup, place in a small bowl and set aside.
- Prepare the broth for the soup (7 cups). I used a mix of beef and chicken. 60% beef and 40% chicken.
- Warm up a soup pot, add (2 tbsp of extra virgin) olive oil and toss in the diced onion along with 1/2 tsp of sea salt. Stir and saute for 5 minutes.
- While the onion is sautéing, peel and cut the potatoes and set aside.
- After the onion has cooked for 5 minutes, add 1 tsp of butter and let the onion cook for an additional 5 minutes. Lower the heat so it doesn't burn. While the onion cooks, zest and juice the lemon.
- After cooking the onion for 10 minutes, add the herb blend for the soup, stir and toast for 2 minutes. Then add the garlic, stir for 30 seconds and then the lemon zest. Stir for another 30 seconds.
- Remove the onion mix from the pot, place in a bowl and set aside.
- Take the meatballs out of the fridge and sear them in the soup pot (in batches) on all sides. 6 minutes total. Once seared, remove the meatballs, place in a bowl and set aside.
- Add a little broth to the soup pot and deglaze the pot to loosen any stuck on bits. There's so much flavour in those bits!!
- Add the sautéed onion back into the soup pot and then add the potatoes, celery and carrots. Stir and saute for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the broth and bring the soup to a soft boil. Drop in the meatballs and stir.
- Add 1 cup of bow-tie egg noodles, stir, and add salt and pepper, stir again. I added 1/2 tsp of each.
- Let the soup boil for 10 minutes, then add fresh or dry parsley, (1 tbsp dry or 2 tbsp fresh) and 1 1/2 tbsp of fresh squeezed lemon juice and stir. Let the soup boil for 5 more minutes.
- Serve garnished with lemon zest and green onions (optional).
