This hearty soup is perfectly parred with a loaf of crusty bread or a grilled cheese for dipping. The meatballs are bite-sized and super moist due to the bechamel that is added to the meat mixture. I love the rich flavor of pork and beef, be turkey could be used as well, producing a leaner meatball, but not as tasty in my opinion. The cilantro and lime give the soup a spanish flair, but omitting either will still produce an outstanding flavor. This soup freezes great too!
Dice onion and carrot.
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Slowly whisk in flour and cook for 1 min. Slowly add milk and continue to whisk making sure you don't have any lumps. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, add ground beef, ground pork, beaten eggs, parsley, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and sweet paprika.
Pour the cooled butter/flour mixture over all and using your hand, gently mix to incorporate ingredients. Try not to over-mix.
When thoroughly mixed, place bowl with meat mixture in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set.
In a medium dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil. Add Diced carrot and onion and saute until soft.
Mince garlic. When onions and carrots are soft, make a well in your pot and add a dash of olive oil. Toss in the minced garlic, hot smoked paprika and turmeric into the center of the pot and bloom those spices.
Add tomato paste to pot and mix well to incorporate. Cook on low heat for 3-5 minutes. Add chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes. Taste broth and add salt/pepper and/or a teaspoon of Better than Boullion (Chicken) or a bouillon cube for added flavor is you'd like. Totally optional.
Prep soup carrots, potato, cilantro, and remaining parsley and set aside.
After two hours of meatball setting, or when ready to make your soup, cut a large piece of parchment paper and use as your meatball-making home base. Remove bowl from fridge and form bite-sized meatballs. One meatball should fit on your spoon. Meatballs will be soft and wet. This is what you want. Form all meat into balls.
When the soup is boiling, drop in carrots, potato, cilantro, and parsley. Bring back to a boil and gently add meatballs, one at a time into the pot and when boiling again, reduce heat to simmer.
Cook for 30-45 minutes on simmer. Add lime juice and taste for seasoning. Adjust to your liking.
Serve with crusty bread for dipping and a wedge of lime if you like.
Don't like cilantro? Omit.
Add other veggies if you'd like, zucchini would go well with this soup as would spinach and kale. Add these to the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Like beans? add a can of rinsed kidney or cannellini beans. A 1/2 cup of lentils or barley would be great too. (if using raw lentils, make sure to add to soup during the last simmer.
Ingredients
Directions
Dice onion and carrot.
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Slowly whisk in flour and cook for 1 min. Slowly add milk and continue to whisk making sure you don't have any lumps. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, add ground beef, ground pork, beaten eggs, parsley, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and sweet paprika.
Pour the cooled butter/flour mixture over all and using your hand, gently mix to incorporate ingredients. Try not to over-mix.
When thoroughly mixed, place bowl with meat mixture in the fridge for 1-2 hours to set.
In a medium dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, heat 3 tbsp olive oil. Add Diced carrot and onion and saute until soft.
Mince garlic. When onions and carrots are soft, make a well in your pot and add a dash of olive oil. Toss in the minced garlic, hot smoked paprika and turmeric into the center of the pot and bloom those spices.
Add tomato paste to pot and mix well to incorporate. Cook on low heat for 3-5 minutes. Add chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes. Taste broth and add salt/pepper and/or a teaspoon of Better than Boullion (Chicken) or a bouillon cube for added flavor is you'd like. Totally optional.
Prep soup carrots, potato, cilantro, and remaining parsley and set aside.
After two hours of meatball setting, or when ready to make your soup, cut a large piece of parchment paper and use as your meatball-making home base. Remove bowl from fridge and form bite-sized meatballs. One meatball should fit on your spoon. Meatballs will be soft and wet. This is what you want. Form all meat into balls.
When the soup is boiling, drop in carrots, potato, cilantro, and parsley. Bring back to a boil and gently add meatballs, one at a time into the pot and when boiling again, reduce heat to simmer.
Cook for 30-45 minutes on simmer. Add lime juice and taste for seasoning. Adjust to your liking.
Serve with crusty bread for dipping and a wedge of lime if you like.
Don't like cilantro? Omit.
Add other veggies if you'd like, zucchini would go well with this soup as would spinach and kale. Add these to the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Like beans? add a can of rinsed kidney or cannellini beans. A 1/2 cup of lentils or barley would be great too. (if using raw lentils, make sure to add to soup during the last simmer.