Turkey Meatball Vegetable Soup (Slow Cooker or Stovetop)

This easy turkey meatball soup is loaded with vegetables, packed with protein, and the kind of cozy one-pot dinner that gets even better as leftovers.

Course dinner, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean

Diet Low Fat

Keyword turkey meatball vegetable soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 364

Author Robyn Conley Downs

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

½ cup onion, grated (from about 1 medium yellow onion)
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons granulated garlic
⅓ cup breadcrumbs
2 pounds ground dark meat turkey

For the Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
2 cups zucchini, chopped
1 tablespoon salt-free Italian seasoning
1 quart chicken stock
1 (15-ounce can) petite diced tomatoes

To Add at the End

4 cups baby spinach
1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

Make the Meatballs: Combine the grated onion, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt, granulated garlic, breadcrumbs, and turkey in a medium bowl. Stir until well combined, being careful not to over-mix. Form into small meatballs, about 1 teaspoon each. The mixture will be stick, so wet your hands in between rolling if necessary.

Stovetop

Cook the Onion: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon of the salt and cook until soft, about 5-8 minutes.
Cook the Veggies: Add the carrots, celery, zucchini, Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the Liquids & Meatballs: Add the stock, diced tomatoes, meatballs and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Simmer: Simmer covered, for 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and meatballs are cooked through.
Finish: Uncover, add the spinach, and cook on low for 5 more minutes, or until the spinach is wilted. Add the lemon juice, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt if desired.

Slow Cooker

Add Veggies & Liquids to the Slow Cooker: Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, Italian seasoning, and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt to a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring to combine.
Add the Meatballs: Add the meatballs, pressing gently to submerge in the liquid. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low for 6-8, or until the vegetables and meatballs are cooked through.
Finish: Uncover, add the spinach, and cook on high for 5 more minutes, or until the spinach is wilted. Add the lemon juice, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt if desired.

Notes

Gluten-Free: Use almond flour, gf oat flour, or gf breadcrumbs for the breadcrumbs.
Dairy-Free: Use nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan cheese.
Updated: I updated this recipe to use breadcrumbs and cheese (easier to find, more affordable ingredients), but feel free to use the gf and df swaps from the original version.
Instant Pot: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in an electric pressure cooker set to saute. Add the onion and pinch of salt and cook for 8 minutes, or until soft. Add the veggies, stock, tomatoes, salt and meatballs. Secure the lid, select the manual setting, and set it to high pressure for 10 minutes. When the pressure cooker timer is done, quick release the pressure. Add the spinach and lemon juice, and serve.

Nutrition