Meatball Lentil Soup Recipes

EASY MEATBALL SOUP

Steps:

• Place the meatball ingredients in one large mixing bowl. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil. Mix until the meat mixture is well incorporated.
• Form the mixture into meatballs about 1 ½ tbsp each (whatever size you choose, stick to it). Arrange the meatballs on a large, lightly oiled sheet pan and broil for 5 to 8 minutes until browned (they will cook some more in the soup).
• In a large pot, heat about 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Add broth and tomatoes. Season with oregano, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook over mediu/medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
• Add the meatballs and pasta. Cook for 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked.
• Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Transfer to serving bowls, and if you like sprinkle a bit more grated Parmesan cheese. If you like heat, add some crushed pepper flakes. Enjoy!

POSTRIO'S GOLDEN LENTIL SOUP WITH LAMB MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Prepare the soup: In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, turmeric, and cumin. Saute over high heat until the onions are glassy, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make a bouquet garni by tying together the celery, parsley, and thyme, and add to pan. Stir in the lentils and the chicken stock, season lightly with salt, pepper, and chili flakes, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Skim as necessary.
• Meanwhile, prepare the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, soak bread crumbs in milk. In a mixing bowl, combine the lamb, almonds, soaked bread crumbs, onion, raisins, egg, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and chili pepper flakes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil on the platter you will place the meatballs on and rub oil into the palm of both hands. Form meat mixture into 40 golf ball-size meatballs, each approximately 1-inch in diameter.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or saute pan. Arrange the meatballs in 1 layer in the pan, quickly sear meatballs over high heat, and then place in the oven. Cook until the meatballs are well browned and firm to the touch, turning to brown all sides, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Prepare the garnish: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until serving time.
• Return to the soup: Remove the celery bouquet. With an immersion blender, lightly blend soup (you want it to still be a little chunky). Correct seasoning, to taste. Alternatively, transfer 2/3 of the soup to a blender*. Blend until smooth and return to the saucepan.
• Ladle soup into 8 or 10 soup bowls. Divide the meatballs evenly among the soup bowls and drizzle the yogurt mixture over. Serve immediately.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.
• Place the chicken bones in a 6-quart pot, pour water over to cover, and bring to a rolling boil. Skim off the scum that collects on the top. Add the remaining ingredients, lower the flame, and simmer about 2 hours, skimming as necessary. Strain into a clean bowl and cool. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days, discarding hardened layer of fat before using or freezing.
• Yield: about 2 quarts

LENTIL-MUSHROOM MEATBALLS

Steps:

• For the sauce: Put the oil and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Swirl until the garlic is just lightly browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a high simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the torn basil leaves and 2 teaspoons salt and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.
• For the meatballs: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with oil.
• Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, then add the wheat berries and boil until plump and tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Put the lentils in a medium saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until almost all of the water has evaporated and the lentils are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring until soft and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar and nutritional yeast and cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated and is slightly dry, about 2 more minutes. Let cool slightly. Clean out the skillet.
• Transfer the onion-mushroom mixture to a food processor. Add the cooked lentils, wheat berries and parsley leaves. Pulse until the mixture is combined and crumbly but not mushy.
• Put the torn bread into a large bowl and cover with 1/4 cup of water. Let sit at least 5 minutes to soften. Using a fork, mash the soaked bread into a paste. Add the lentil mixture to the bowl with the mashed bread and mix by hand until fully incorporated. The mixture should hold its shape when squeezed gently.
• Shape the mixture by hand into 18 golf-ball sized meatballs. Place about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the meatballs are golden brown on the outside and don't crumble when gently pressed, 25 to 30 minutes.
• To serve, pour the sauce into a shallow serving bowl. Put the hot meatballs on top of the sauce and garnish with parsley.

SUAD SHALLAL'S IRAQI LENTIL SOUP WITH MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Place half the onions and the ground meat, parsley, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and allspice in a medium mixing bowl. Blend ingredients, and form into balls the size of walnuts. Turn onto the baking pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and drain on a paper towel. In a soup pot, sauté remaining onions in olive oil over medium heat until golden. Add chicken broth and bring to boil.
• Pick any stones from over lentils, place in bowl, cover with cold water, and drain. Add them to soup, turn heat to low, and simmer slowly for about 20 minutes or until lentils are almost tender.
• Crumble angel hair pasta into soup, along with carrots and meatballs. Simmer slowly for another 5-10 minutes or until lentils and noodles are cooked, adding more chicken broth or water as needed. Just before serving, squeeze lemon into soup.