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Turkey and Tiny Pasta Soup
About 8 cups soup Active 25 min Total 50 min
Tiny pasta and small turkey meatballs make a soup that feels generous without being complicated. The meatballs are mixed gently and dropped straight into simmering broth, where they stay tender. Carrot dice and a handful of spinach give each spoonful color. Plain ground turkey is important here: flavored products can bring pepper or chili that the finished soup does not need. Lemon zest and parsley provide enough fresh aroma to make the mild broth interesting.
Small meatballs, gentle handling
A scant tablespoon of mixture, about 15 grams, makes a useful soup-sized meatball. Wet hands help the mixture release without adding more breadcrumbs. Mix just until the ingredients come together; repeated squeezing makes ground turkey denser. The meatballs can look pale even when fully cooked, so use a thin-probe thermometer in one of the largest pieces. They need to reach 165°F/74°C. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil that tosses them around.
Pasta keeps absorbing broth
Acini di pepe, tiny stars, or another plain small pasta will work, but cooking times vary. Add the pasta after the meatballs have had a head start and use the package as a guide. For a pot you plan to eat over several days, cook the pasta separately and add a little to each bowl. That prevents it from growing soft in stored broth. If following the one-pot method below, expect to add water when reheating leftovers.
Use the pasta shape you have
Different tiny pasta shapes carry different package times even when they look similar in size. Add the pasta with enough cooking time left to finish the meatballs, then check both components rather than following a single timer. A small star should feel tender, not chalky. If the meatballs finish first, they can remain in the gentle broth briefly while the pasta catches up.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots (150 g), cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 6 cups (1.4 liters) low-sodium chicken broth, labeled pepper-free and chili-free
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 1 pound (450 g) plain ground turkey
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup (35 g) plain breadcrumbs, without pepper or chili
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, divided
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (85 g) tiny plain pasta, such as acini di pepe
- 2 cups (60 g) baby spinach, chopped
Set out
Large soup pot, Mixing bowl, Thin-probe instant-read thermometer
Allergens
Wheat, egg. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens.
- Add the broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile, mix the turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon parsley, lemon zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt just until combined. With damp hands, roll scant tablespoons (about 15 g each) into about 36 small meatballs.
- Lower the meatballs gently into the simmering broth. Cook for 5 minutes without stirring vigorously.
- Add the tiny pasta. Simmer for its package cooking time, usually 6–9 minutes, stirring gently along the base. Verify the largest meatballs reach 165°F/74°C; cook longer if necessary.
- Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 minute, until wilted. Scatter with the remaining tablespoon parsley and serve.
A useful detail
Set the raw turkey bowl away from ready-to-eat ingredients and wash hands and tools after forming the meatballs. Use a clean utensil to serve the cooked soup.
Make it your own
- Use plain ground chicken in place of turkey; cook to the same 165°F/74°C minimum.
- Replace the spinach with 1 cup frozen peas, adding them for the final 3 minutes.
Keep it well
Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 4 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C, adding broth or water as the pasta absorbs liquid. Freeze for up to 2 months; pasta will soften after thawing.