Recipes

Escarole Soup with Turkey Meatballs

Name: Escarole Soup with Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients: 1 pound ground turkey; 2 eggs, beaten to mix; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 small onion, minced; 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 head escarole (about 1/2 pound), leaves washed well and chopped (about 1 quart); 1 1/2 quarts canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock; 2 cups water; 2 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar; 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

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They're not like Mama used to make: These succulent meatballs are formed from lean ground turkey instead of beef, and they're served in a light broth with escarole, not perched on top of spaghetti. (If you really miss that pasta, boil about a quarter pound of your favorite kind and stir it into the soup before serving.)Plus: More Soup Recipes and Tips

By Food & Wine

Updated on January 11, 2017

Escarole Soup with Turkey Meatballs — Photo: © Bree Hester

Yield:

4

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey
2 eggs, beaten to mix
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 head escarole (about 1/2 pound), leaves washed well and chopped (about 1 quart)
1 1/2 quarts canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
2 cups water
2 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together the turkey, eggs, garlic, onion, bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper until thoroughly combined. Shape the mixture into twenty meatballs.
In a large frying pan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat. Add half the meatballs to the pan and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the pan and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and the rest of the meatballs.
Put all of the meatballs, the escarole, broth, water, vinegar, red-pepper flakes, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt in a large pot. Cover and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. The meatballs should be cooked through by the time the broth comes to a simmer.

Suggested Pairing

Turkey is deceptively strong in flavor and can stand up to even the most powerful red wines. Here, try a raw-boned, rich Petite Sirah from California for a rollicking duet.