Vegetable Soup With Meatballs 

This is a traditional Bulgarian meatball soup that we like to call “supa topcheta”. It used to be a favorite of mine while growing up in Bulgaria and my mom and grandma made it all the time. Usually the soup is made with potatoes or noodles, but my mom and I used LOADS of vegetables to replace those unnecessary carbs. It is thickened with a mixture of egg, yogurt and lemon. This gives the soup a creaminess without it being overly heavy. You can totally skip this part out, but for me it is what makes the soup so delicious! I also like to use goat yogurt as it is easier to digest than cow’s milk. Get ready to warm up with this nutritious and comforting soup on a cold winter day.

Vegetable Soup With Meatballs 

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS 

For The Meatballs:

• 1/2 lb grass-fed ground beef 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin 
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped

For The Soup:

• 1 leek, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1/2 zucchini, diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 tsp oregano 
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes 
• sea salt & pepper to taste 

Optional Way To Thicken Soup

• 1 egg, whisked
• 3 tbsp plain goat yogurt or greek
• 3 tbsp parsley, chopped 
• 1/2 lemon, juiced 

DIRECTIONS

• STEP 1. Fill a large pot with water (about 8 cups), enough so it covers over the middle. 
• STEP 2. In a bowl, combine the meat with the salt, pepper, cumin, parsley and onions. Mix well. Form small meatballs and drop them in the water. 
• STEP 3. Add the leek, carrots, onion, celery, zucchini, peppers, olive oil, oregano, chili flakes and season with salt and pepper. Cook covered on low to medium heat for 30 minutes. 
• STEP 4. Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool for 5-10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the egg, yogurt, parsley and the lemon juice. Mix well. 
• STEP 5. Remove about half a cup of the soup broth and slowly add to the yogurt mixture. Add another half a cup of the broth and stir with a spoon. Add the yogurt mixture to the soup in a slow stream while stirring the soup. Do not cover the soup until it has cooled down. This will allow the yogurt to be combined with the hot soup with breaking apart. Serve hot and enjoy with extra chili flakes and lemon if you like more of a spicy kick.