Starter Recipe: Basil Tomato Soup and Turkey Meatballs

Keeping true to our name, we’d like to share one of our favorite tomato-based dishes: a tomato soup with, yes, turkey meatballs! This strange-sounding, yet surprisingly savory dish relies on allowing the turkey to cook right in the soup. And when you add a bit of basil pesto and some red pepper flakes in the meatballs, the result is just the right mix of sweetness from the tomato with the heat from the pepper. Scroll on down for the details!

Basil Tomato Soup with Turkey Meatballs

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 8 oz. ground turkey
• 3 tablespoons basil pesto
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs
• Kosher salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small stalk celery, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• Fresh grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the ground turkey with the pesto, bread crumbs, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Mix until evenly blended.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, occasionally stirring vegetables.
4. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about another minute.
5. Add the broth and diced tomatoes (with the juices from the can) and bring to a simmer.
6. Cover the pan again, and let it cook for about 15 minutes.
7. While that is cooking, roll the turkey into uniform meatballs (you should end up with about 13 1″ meatballs).
8. Once the broth/tomato mixture is done simmering, add to a food processor or a blender (with a blender you may need to do this in two batches). Pulse for about 3 1-second pulses, then let blend for a full minute, or until the soup is as smooth as desired.
9. Return the pureed soup to the saucepan, and add the pasta and meatballs. Cook on medium for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the meatballs are fully cooked.
10. To serve, top with grated or sliced parmesan.
11. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relay Foods