Turkey Meatball and Escarole Soup

Ingredients

0 of 20 out on the counter

• 1 tbsp olive oil, for the meatballs
• 1 tbsp olive oil, for the pot
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 medium celery stalks, diced
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 cups chopped escarole
• 2½ oz dry whole-wheat small soup pasta, such as ditalini or acini di pepe
• 1 lb ground turkey breast, 99% fat-free
• ½ cup rolled oats, for the meatballs
• ¼ cup water, to soak the oats
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, for the meatballs
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp salt, for the meatballs
• ½ tsp salt, for the soup
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan, for serving

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Stir the oats and the water together in a large bowl and leave them 5 minutes, until the oats have taken up the water.
2. 2Add the turkey, egg white, 2 tbsp Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, pepper, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Mix with a fork or wet hands just until it holds together; the mixture is soft.
3. 3With wet hands, roll about 36 meatballs of about 17 g each onto a plate. Chill them while you start the soup.
4. 4Warm the other 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots and celery 6 to 8 minutes, until soft. Add the broth and ½ tsp salt, cover and bring to a boil.
5. 5Turn the heat down to a steady simmer. Slip the meatballs in one at a time, cover, and simmer 12 to 13 minutes. Water boils at about 203 °F here at 5,430 ft, so the house gives the 10 minutes a sea-level pot needs a quarter longer (CSU Extension). A meatball is done when a thermometer in the middle reads 165 °F; cut one open to check it is no longer pink.
6. 6Stir in the pasta and simmer until it is tender, about 10 to 12 minutes, a little longer than the package says at this altitude (our kitchen practice: we extend it a quarter). Stir now and then so it does not stick.
7. 7Stir in the escarole a handful at a time and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until it is wilted and tender.
8. 8Ladle into six bowls, 6 meatballs each, and sprinkle each with a scant 1 tsp (5 g in all) of the Parmesan for serving.
9. 9Cool leftovers no more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90 °F) before they go in the fridge, in shallow containers. Reheat each serving to a rolling boil, and the meatballs to 165 °F.