Meatball Soup

This Meatball Soup is our childhood in a bowl. This is what we call Bulgarian “supa topcheta.” It is one of our favorite soups in the world. This recipe is hearty nutritious, and comforting. It does take some TLC to roll out the meatballs nice and small, but we promise it is worth it. We have been enjoying this soup for more than 30 years of our life as it’s been in our family for generations. We hope you love it just as much, please leave us a comment and let us know how it was.

What stands out

This Meatball Soup is warm comforting and so satisfying on a cold day. It uses simple, humble ingredients that are filling, nutritious and. It will take a bit of time to roll out all the meatballs, but the results are so worth it. The meatballs are bite-sized and so tender and juicy, the pairing for the hearty veggies.

How To Prepare This Meatball Soup

Using a sharp knife finely dice the onion, carrot, celery and cube a potato.

To a large bowl add 1/2 an onion (diced), 400g of ground meat, an egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

Mix everything together well with clean hands until a thick and sticky mixture forms.

Form tiny meatballs and set aside (this recipe will make about 40 in total).

In a big pot on the stove over medium-high heat sauté the onions, celery, and carrots. Add the potatoes and stir.

Now, add the tomato paste and sauce and stir.

Stir in the spices and rice and then add the water.

Let it come to a full boil and then slowly drop in the mini meatballs.

Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover the pot and let it go for 20-25 minutes until everything is cooked.

Adjust for salt, add in freshly chopped parsley and enjoy.

Kitchen tip

You can use porkbeef or turkey for the ground meat. Feel free to mix different types of meat as well.

Swaps

1. Feel free to use any ground meat you personally like in this Meatball Soup, we traditionally use ground pork.
2. We traditionally take this soup a step further and temper it with a beaten egg but we left it out here. If you know how to temper, you are more than welcome to do so.
3. Instead of water, you can add even more flavor by using a good quality, unsalted chicken or veggie stock instead.
4. You can make this Meatball Soup vegetarian by omitting the meatballs and adding beans or lentils for protein instead.

Serve it with

• A slice of crusty homemade bread, like our No Knead Peasant Bread is with this Meatball Soup.
• Serve this Meatball Soup with a beautiful traditional Bulgarian side dish such as Bulgarian Stuffed PeppersBulgarian Salad or Bulgarian Cheese Sandwiches (Prinzesi).

Questions

what kind of ground meat can we use in this recipe?

You can use pork, beef, or turkey in this Meatball Soup. Feel free to mix different types of meat as well.

can we make this Meatball Soup vegetarian?

Make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the meatballs and adding beans or lentils for protein instead.

what type of tomato sauce do you use?

We use our traditional, homemade a strong Italian tomato sauce, but you can use whatever canned or jarred version you enjoy. We suggest choosing one with minimal ingredients for the best quality.

Can we freeze this Meatball Soup?

This soup freezes like a dream. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers or freezer bags, and then it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Meatballs

• 400 grams ground meat, pork, beef or turkey
• 1 medium egg
• ½ onion, finely diced
• salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, to taste

Soup

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or any oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery rib, finely diced
• 1 medium potato, cubed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ cup tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon salt
• pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• ⅓ cup rice, I used jasmine but any will work
• 3 litres water, (or unsalted vegetable stock) 10-11 cups approximately
• finely chopped parsley

Equipment

• Nakiri Knife
• Cutting Board
• Mixing Bowls
• Redmond Real Salt
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Large Pot

Method

1. In a bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatballs and mix well with clean hands until a thick and sticky mixture forms. Form tiny meatballs — we made a total of 40. Set them aside.
2. In a big pot on the stove on medium-high heat sauté your onions, celery, and carrots. Add the potatoes and stir.
3. Add the tomato paste and sauce and stir between each ingredient.
4. Stir in your spices and rice and add the water. Let it come to a full boil and slowly add your mini meatballs.
5. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover the pot and let it go for 20-25 minutes until everything is cooked. Adjust for salt and add in freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy.