Chicken Soup with Turkey Meatballs (Plant-Based Base)

This healthy chicken soup with turkey meatballs is a lighter twist on my Italian grandmother’s classic recipe. The base starts with a flavorful vegetable stock filled with onions, carrots, celery, and corn — perfect for a plant-based soup on its own.

For those who enjoy meat, I cook chicken separately in a light chicken broth and add tender pieces to the vegetable soup for extra protein and comfort. The real star, though, is the soup-sized turkey meatballs — a healthy version of my grandmother’s beef and pork recipe. Using lean ground turkey and fresh breadcrumbs keeps them soft, juicy, and full of flavor.

This cozy, flexible recipe is perfect for anyone looking to make a wholesome meal that satisfies both plant-based eaters and meat lovers alike.

VEGETABLE SOUP INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium onion, minced
• 2 cups carrots, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 cup fresh corn
• 3 cartons vegetable stock (favorite brand is Imagine Foods No Chik’n vegetable broth. I use 2 cartons to start the soup and then I reserve one to add to the pasta so that it doesn’t get sticky or dry – and the rest I typically end up adding to the broth because it tends to cook down and might need more liquid/broth).
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes (this is optional but adds more flavor. My favorite brand is Edward & Son’s No Chik’n Bouillon Cubes)
• 1 box of pastina (small soup pasta or orzo. Since my family and I are gluten free, our favorite is the Jovial Foods Stelline. It’s made from brown rice and you would never know it is gluten free!).

OPTIONAL SOUP INGREDIENTS IF ADDING CHICKEN

• 2 chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on.
• 1 carton chicken broth

OPTIONAL TURKEY MEATBALLS

• You will need a blender or a food processor for this recipe
• 1 pound of ground turkey (Using dark is better – avoid using ground turkey breast)
• ½ loaf of day-old French bread (I use gluten free but if you don’t have a gluten allergy, any kind of French bread is good)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup parmesan cheese (I use vegan parmesan for my family by Violife but if you eat dairy, any kind of grated parmesan is good.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon dry basil
• 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• 1 carton of chicken broth to boil the meatballs in.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large saucepan, add the 2 boxes of vegetable stock, 2 cubes of bouillon, onion, carrots, celery and parsley and simmer on low for 45 minutes to an hour until the vegetables are soft. Add the corn the last 15 minutes – you don’t want to overcook the corn.
2. In a small saucepan, boil water and cook the soup pasta according to the package. Drain and put back into the saucepan and then add some broth to the pasta so that it doesn’t get sticky and dry. I don’t add the pasta to the pot of vegetable soup because it will absorb all the broth and the pasta will get soggy. I put the pasta into bowls as I serve the soup.
3. For those who enjoy meat and want to add chicken to this recipe, I suggest 2 chicken breasts with bone in and skin on. Add a carton of chicken broth to a large saucepan and add the two chicken breasts. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Pull the breast out and place in a covered bowl to cool. Once cool enough to touch, you can pull apart the chicken or chop into small pieces and add pieces to each soup bowl with the vegetable soup and pasta.
4. If you are making the turkey meatballs, cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and grind them in a blender or food processor until they are fine breadcrumbs. They won’t be as fine as a dry breadcrumb – so it is ok if they are slightly chunky. Add the breadcrumbs to a large mixing bowl. Add the cheese and the herbs and mix until well blended. Add the ground turkey and eggs and using your hands, mix the meat mixture until all ingredients are well incorporated. Add the carton of chicken broth to a large saucepan and simmer until lightly boiling. While the broth heats, roll the meat mixture into small bite size meatballs and add to the boiling broth in batches of about 10 at a time. Boil each batch for approximately 5 minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon and set the cooked meatballs aside in a covered bowl. I often end up only using about ½ of the meat mixture initially and then refrigerate the remainder to either use for soup meatballs in a day or two, or you can roll them into larger meatballs to use for spaghetti and meatballs. If you use them for larger meatballs, I line a cookie sheet with parchment and cook them at 375 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes depending on how big they are. I then add sauce to the meatballs and serve with pasta.
5. Assemble the bowls with pasta, vegetable soup and then serve with chicken and meatballs if using meat. I like to top my soup with vegan Parmesan (Violife is the best!) or you can use regular parmesan if you eat dairy. Serve hot and enjoy!