Check out this modernized version of Mexican Albondiga soup.
Ingredients
For the turkey meatballs:
1 large egg, well beaten
1 lb ground turkey (high fat blend recommended)*
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch ground cinnamon, optional
½ teaspoon sea salt
For the soup:
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini squash, chopped
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
¼ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Prepare the Turkey Meatballs:
Add all of the ingredients for the meatballs to a mixing bowl and stir to combine (I like using my hands to moosh everything together so that it gets super well combined).
Preheat a large cast iron skillet to medium and add enough oil to generously coat the surface, about 3 tablespoons. Form meatballs out of the mixture and place them on a plate until the skillet is completely hot (the meatballs will be super moist and may seem like they won’t hold together, but they will!).
Place the meatballs on the hot skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until browned on one side. Carefully flip and cook on the other side until browned (but not cooked through), about 1 minute.
Transfer the meatballs to a plate and set aside.
Prepare the soup:
Heat the olive oil to medium-high in a large pot or Dutch oven and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Saute, stirring occasionally, until veggies have softened and onion begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and zucchini and cook for 1 minute.
Add the meatballs, chicken stock, tomato sauce, and parsley. Cover, and bring to a full boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until zucchini is soft and meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes (Note: you can keep the soup at a very low temperature on the stove while you’re preparing other food for guests).
