Lemon, turmeric, feta meatball soup- low carb and blood sugar friendly
If I had to eat just one soup for the rest of my life, this lemon turmeric, feta meatball soup would be it for me. The flavorful, antioxidant rich broth and the tender meatballs are like a hug in a bowl. The perfect meal anytime but especially in wintertime when a warm bowl of soup is just the thing. This soup was inspired by a NYT cooking recipe but made more nutrient dense and blood sugar friendly by yours truly. Enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken, turkey, pork, lamb or bison
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta if you do not tolerate dairy, use a cashew feta or other non-dairy cheese
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 1/2 cup hemp hearts
- 1 small red onion, halved (½ diced, and ½ grated, then squeezed with a paper towel to remove excess liquid)
- 1/3 packed cup fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- sea salt
- black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
- 4 cups chicken bone broth or water
- 4 cups baby spinach (about 5 ounces) 4 packed cups (use frozen spinach using my method!)
- 2 lemons (1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges for serving)
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, add the ground meat, feta, ¼ cup hemp hearts, the grated onion, most of the chives (reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish), the cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt. Gently combine without squeezing too hard or overworking the meat. Lightly wet your palms and shape the meat into small balls, about 1½ inches. (You will have about 25 balls).
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion, season with salt, and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon turmeric and red pepper flakes, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Push the onions to the side of the pot, then add the meatballs. (They will be close together, and that’s okay.) Cook until browned on two sides, 5 to 7 minutes total.
- Pour the broth over the meatballs and add the remaining ½ cup hemp hearts. Gently tilt the pot to the right and left to distribute the hemp hearts and broth without disturbing the meatballs. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer. Taste and season with salt an pepper as needed. Cook, gently stirring occasionally to make sure the meatballs are not sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the meatballs are cooked through, about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach and lemon juice until the spinach is wilted, cook for about 2 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Spoon into bowls, top with pepper and the remaining chives. Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Calories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 44gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 1251mgPotassium: 838mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3234IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 228mgIron: 9mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!