While many of us, even here in the States, have at least a passing familiarity with the classic Greek soups enriched with Avgolemono and flavored with lemon, this Greek Meatball Soup takes things in a different direction.
Greek Meatball Soup
Greek Meatball Soup might just be one of those soups you have to taste to believe! It’s indescribably delicious. It’s rich without being heavy, and it’s such a nice soup for a light supper or special lunch just about anytime; it spans the seasons.
About Greek Meatball Soup:
This gorgeous soup is filled with tiny meatballs that can be made with ground lamb, beef, or a combination, along with a bit of rice; they’re cooked in the broth along with a touch more rice, which flavors the broth beautifully.
The broth is fragrant and delicate, with just a bit of body, spiked with a little Parmesan and enriched with a touch of cream. And while the soup has a few herbs, garlic, oregano, and parsley, they’re subtle and take a back seat to the other flavors.
I always thought Greek Meatball Soup was passed to Mom from our Greek neighbor, my Sis’s best friend’s Yaya. My Sister didn’t think so, but Yaya had gifted us with various specialties over the years, and the family had a restaurant. How lucky I was to grow up there!
Gently roll in parsley, not too much though.
Making Greek Meatball Soup:
This does not make a big pot of soup. The servings are very conservative by today’s standards; you might want to double! It’s said on the Greek Islands that there’s a saying, which translates roughly to eat until you’re 80 percent full.
Use a scoop to portion (this makes a lot of tiny meatballs), then roll. If your scoop isn’t small, a tablespoon scoop will do; divide into two balls. As a teen, 50 years ago, now, I used a teaspoon – what a job.
The key to this soup: make the meatballs tiny, spread the parsley out so the meatballs don’t pick up too much, and don’t boil the soup. Just very gently simmer until the meatballs are cooked and the rice is tender.
Fairly lean meat is best, whether beef, lamb, or a combination; otherwise, the broth will need to be skimmed after the meatballs have cooked and before thickening. That’s always a hassle.
Notes on Ingredients: I’m guessing Parmesan was the closest thing to Mizithra or Kefalotyri, not available in our area. The cream and cornstarch are a little unusual, probably not traditional, but not unheard of either.
Lots of tiny meatballs!
Serve With:
When serving the soup, pass small bowls of additional Parmesan along with the finely sliced green onion.
A simple green salad, maybe one with a Greek dressing, and a loaf of good bread, like my No Knead Overnight Crusty Bread, would be nice. Maybe rubbed with a raw garlic clove
A sandwich would never be wrong, here; the soup is on the lighter side, and might not seem enough on its own, depending on appetites.
Crusty Bread
Leftover Greek Meatball Soup:
While best the same day, this can be stored three to four days. Heat very gently, or the soup might separate. Stovetop is best, stirring often.
Do not freeze, although it’s worth noting that the meatballs can be made ahead and refrigerated for a day or two, or frozen, then cooked.
Other Lighter Soups You Might Like:
- Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana – this is the original recipe; it was once posted on their website.
- Italian Wedding Soup – this one has the most amazing chicken meatballs; a touch of ricotta keeps them moist.
- Elegant Mushroom Lemon Basil Soup – every flavor pops in this soup; it’s amazing, and you won’t miss the meat!
Elegant Mushroom Lemon Basil Soup
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.
Ground Beef:
- Ground Beef is on sale often and freezes well – there’s no need to pay full price. Stock up at rock bottom and freeze in amounts that make sense for your family. Most recipes using ground beef call for one pound. Some can get by with a little less.
- Grocery store pricing is lowest during the summer months, and some of the lowest prices are before the Summer Holidays.
- Regardless of the time of year, each percentage of ground beef drops to a low about once a quarter; being versatile gives more options for savings. Generally, the higher the % of fat, the lower the cost, but more waste in fat.
- Ground beef is usually cheaper in larger family packs and even cheaper in the “chubs.”
- Discount stores have great sales, and your buyers’ club is worth checking.
Ground Lamb:
- Just a quick note, depending on where you live, options and availability might be limited.
- If in a city, both discount stores and buyers’ clubs will have it at a decent price, although generally pricier than beef.
Parmesan Cheese:
- Buy a Wedge: Compared by weight, it’s almost always less than pre-grated. Wedges won’t mold as quickly and are better quality than pre-grated.
- Pricing for wedges at both Buyer’s Clubs and the discount stores is amazing, but if not an option, watch for grocery store sales.
- If budget is a concern, use sparingly, and consider Romano, which is cheaper with a more assertive flavor.
Cream:
- Cream is always cheaper at discount groceries like Aldi & Lidl. Their everyday price beats out the buyer’s club and the best grocery store holiday sales price.
- Cream keeps for weeks, so if the standard grocery is the only option, get in the habit of picking up at a low price before holidays.
Howdie Peeps! If you give this family fave, Greek Meatball Soup, a try, I’d love to hear back; I wanna know if you love it as much as I do!! 🙂 Take care, and I hope to see you next post.
Mollie
Greek Meatball Soup
Greek Meatball Soup
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 small 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
- 1 onion, very finely diced, about 3/4 cup
- 1 pound ground meat (beef, lamb, or mixture)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup uncooked rice, divided (two tablespoons for the meatballs, two for the broth) *
- 1 clove garlic, minced and mashed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
For the Soup:
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- several green onions, finely sliced for garnish
- additional cheese for garnish
Instructions
For the Meatballs:
Melt butter or add oil to a Dutch oven. Add onions and saute over medium-low heat until golden brown, stirring often. Remove about a third to a medium-sized bowl for the meatballs. Reserve the rest in the pot for the soup and set aside.
Add ground beef, lamb or a mixture to the bowl with the onions, along with egg, two tablespoons rice, garlic, salt, and oregano. Mix together. Form into small meatballs no more than a scant inch across. A small scoop works well. Lightly roll meatballs in parsley. Set aside.
For the Soup:
When meatballs are nearly finished, add the broth and last two tablespoons rice to the Dutch oven. Bring to a good simmer, and once simmering, add the meatballs a few at a time. Turn down to a very low simmer, cover, and continue to simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender and meatballs are cooked through.
In the meantime, make the mixture to thicken the soup:
- Heat cream in a medium-sized saucepan, add cheese, and stir over low heat until the cheese is smooth and melted. In a small bowl or cup, mix the cornstarch with the water and add the slurry to the cheese mixture. It will become very thick.
- Whisking vigorously, adding about a cup and a half of the broth to the mixture. Allow to come just to a boil, whisking, until thickened. Turn off heat and add a little more broth if needed to thin the mixture so it will easily incorporate into the soup.
Skim any excess fat from the top of the soup. Add the cream/cheese/broth mixture to the soup, gently stirring, being careful not to break up the meatballs. Heat through, but do not boil.
To serve, pass bowls of the finely sliced green onions and additional shredded Parmesan.
* Note for my sister, I added the additional two tablespoons of rice to the broth, not original to to the recipe.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 460 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 24 g | 38 % |
| Saturated Fat 12 g | 59 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 3 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Trans Fat 1 g | |
| Cholesterol 163 mg | 54 % |
| Sodium 1151 mg | 48 % |
| Potassium 240 mg | 7 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 18 g | 6 % |
| Dietary Fiber 1 g | 3 % |
| Sugars 2 g | |
| Protein 36 g | 71 % |
| Vitamin A | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 21 % |
| Calcium | 19 % |
| Iron | 22 % |
9 thoughts on “Greek Meatball Soup”