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Meatball Soup

Delicious Balkan Meatball Soup

This Balkan Meatball Soup is a delicious comfort dish from the classic Bulgarian cuisine. It 's rich and nourishing, with lovely flavours and texture. 
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Balkan
Servings 6
Calories 137 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large saucepan

Ingredients
  

for the meatballs

  • 250 g ground (minced) meat
  • 1 slice white bread
  • 1 cup water or milk
  • 3 tablespoons everyday rice
  • 1-2 tablespoon finely chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon savoury spice if available
  • salt and ground pepper
  • 1-2 cups flour to coat the meatballs

for the soup

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 carrot cut into cubes
  • 2 celery stalk cut into cubes
  • 1 large tomato cut into cubes
  • 1/3-1/2 cup soup pasta
  • 1 1/2 litre beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon savoury spice if available
  • salt and pepper for seasoning

for the thickening mixture

  • 2-3 tablespoons plain yoghurt
  • 1 egg yolk

for garnish

  • fresh lemon juice
  • chopped parsley

Instructions
 

  • Take the mincemeat, egg and yoghurt out of the fridge 20 minutes before using them. They must get to room temperatureRinse the rice well. Bring 2 cups of water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add the rice and cook it for 5-6 minutes to par-cooked it, then discard the water. Soak the bread in a bowl of water or milk until it is soft.
    Place the mincemeat in a large bowl. Transfer the par-cooked rice to the bowl with the ground meat. Squeeze the soaked bread in your hand to remove the liquid, then add it to the mincemeat. Add savoury spice or parsley, salt and pepper. Knead the meat mixture with your hands until all ingredients are combined. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. Shape as many 1/2-3/4 inch round meatballs as you can with the meat mixture. Toss the meatballs in flour lightly to coat them.
  • Clean and chop the onion, carrot, tomato and celery.
    Heat oil in a large saucepan. First, sauté the chopped onion for 2-3 minutes until transparent. Add the cubed carrots and saute them for 2-3 minutes to par-cook them. Add the chopped tomatoes and celery, and sauté them for 5 minutes. Keep the lid on while the vegetables are sauteing. Stir occasionally.
    Add the stock to the pot with the vegetables and bring it to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
    Add the meatballs. Continue cooking on medium heat until the meatballs pop up onto the surface of the stock. That will take about 5 minutes.
    Add the pasta. Check the instructions on the pasta and cook as instructed. The soup pasta is added directly to the soup.
  • Whisk one egg yolk with the yoghurt. Add 4-5 spoonfuls of stock from the pot with the soup to raise the temperature in the yoghurt mixture. That will prevent the yolk and the yoghurt from curdling when you add it to the boiling hot soup. Remove the chicken soup from the hob and slowly pour the thickening mixture inside while stirring continuously. Return the soup to the hob and cook for the last 5 minutes. 
  • Serve the meatball soup hot, garnished with finely chopped fresh parsley and a splash of lemon juice.

Notes

Nutrition Facts

Carbs 7g | Dietary Fiber 0g | Sugar 0g | Fat 8g | Saturated 3g | Polyunsaturated 0g | Monounsaturated 3g | Protein 8g | Sodium 55mg | Potassium 164 mg | Cholesterol 61mg
 
Keyword Bulgarian meatball soup, Bulgarian soup, Classic Bulgarian soup, meatball soup, meatballs soup, soup, supa topcheta