Greek-Style Minestrone with Turkey and Feta Meatballs
I got this Greek-style minestrone with turkey and feta meatballs recipe from my friend Heather a long time ago. My husband, children, and I have been fighting a nasty cold, so I thought this Greek meatball soup would be great because it’s filled with veggies and healthy ingredients. My family loved this Mediterranean soup, and we thought it paired nicely with some crusty kalamata olive bread and a loaded Greek salad.
Greek-Style Minestrone with Turkey and Feta Meatballs
Turkey Meatballs:
- 1 lb of ground turkey meat with Italian seasonings
- 2 tbsp yellow onion, diced finely
- 2 tbsp feta cheese, crumbles
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup of garlic and herb bread crumbs
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for cooking meatballs)
Soup:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 2 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fresh dill, chopped, plus more fronds for serving
- 1 tsp of dried oregano
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 6 cups of chicken broth
- â…“ cup of long-grain brown (or white) rice
- 1 (15-oz) can of diced tomatoes
- 1 zucchini, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 yellow squash, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 can of small white beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups sliced fresh spinach (about 3 ounces)
Serving:
- ½ cup of feta cheese, for topping
- Fresh dill fronds
How to Make a Greek-Style Minestrone with Turkey and Feta Meatballs
Prepare the mini meatballs by mixing all ingredients in a bowl and gently combining until thoroughly mixed.
Roll into small teaspoon-sized meatballs.
Cook the mini meatballs by heating olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the meatballs and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
Prepare the soup by heating the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic, dill, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Add the broth, rice, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables and rice are tender, about 25-30 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium and add beans, meatballs, zucchini, and squash. Taste and re-season if needed.
Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring once.
Finish the soup by adding the spinach and simmer, uncovered, until spinach is wilted and all vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes longer.
Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with feta cheese and dill fronds. Enjoy.
Note: If not serving immediately, add the spinach just before serving to retain the bright color and prevent overcooking.
Equipment
Ingredients
Turkey Meatballs:
- 1 lb of ground turkey meat with Italian seasonings
- 2 tbsp yellow onion diced finely
- 2 tbsp feta cheese crumbles
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup of garlic and herb bread crumbs
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking meatballs
Soup:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion chopped
- 2 carrots coarsely chopped
- 2 stalks of celery coarsely chopped
- 4-5 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh dill chopped, plus more fronds for serving
- 1 tsp of dried oregano
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 6 cups of chicken broth
- â…“ cup of long-grain brown or white rice
- 1 15-oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 zucchini chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 yellow squash chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 can of small white beans drained and rinsed
- 3 cups sliced fresh spinach about 3 ounces
Serving:
- ½ cup of feta cheese for topping
- Fresh dill fronds
Instructions
- Prepare the mini meatballs by mixing all ingredients in a bowl and gently combining until thoroughly mixed. Roll into small teaspoon-sized meatballs.
- Cook the mini meatballs by heating olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the meatballs and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
- Prepare the soup by heating the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, dill, oregano, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the broth, rice, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables and rice are tender, about 25-30 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium and add beans, meatballs, zucchini, and squash. Taste and re-season if needed.
- Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring once.
- Finish the soup by adding the spinach and simmering, uncovered, until the spinach is wilted and all vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes longer.
- Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with feta cheese and dill fronds. Enjoy.
- Note: If not serving immediately, add the spinach just before serving to retain the bright color and prevent overcooking.
Award and a meme:
I’ve been tagged to do a meme from Annie at Yes, I want to see the dessert menu. Thanks for passing it on to me Annie.
I am to write 6 random things about myself:
1. I used to do a cooking show while doing dishes when I was a kid. I only did it when no one else was home.
2. I have a lot of freckles.
3. I met my husband at one of my best friend’s weddings. He was a groomsman and I was a bridesmaid.
4. I have two small tattoos. I got my first one when I was 21 – it’s a Chinese symbol that means “to dream”. I got the second one when I was 36, with 6 of my girlfriends. We all got the Chinese symbol that means “friendship”.
5. I have two cats that don’t get along. Sophie, our younger cat, would love to be our older cat’s friend, but Casey yowls, hisses, and growls at her. Poor little Sophie.
6. I have two really great kids. They are funny, sweet, kind, silly, and smart. I feel like the luckiest mom in the world.
Here are the rules:
- Link to the person who tagged you
- Post the rules on the blog
- Write 6 random things about yourself
- Tag 6 people at the end of your post
- Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog
- Let the tagger know when your entry is up
So let’s play tag!
I am tagging:
- Lisa at Jersey Girl Cooks
- Paula at It’s all Gouda
- Michele at Life, Lightly Salted
- Stacey at Stacey Snacks
- Heather from Diary of a Fanatic Foodie
- Cheryl at Cooking, Dunkin Style
I also got the Superior Scribbler award a while ago from Soulchocolate at My Gourmet Kitchen. Thank you so much for passing the award on to me. Be sure to check out her website for beautiful photos that will leave you drooling.
I will pass this award on to the most talented writer I know–Miss Blonde Duck from A Duck in Her Pond. I know you already have this award, but you are such a talented girl, I wanted to give you another one. 😉
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