This winter has come with some of the worst flus and colds at our house, but just because you feel crappy (or maybe you're just exhausted) doesn't mean you can't make something tasty for the whole family with as little effort as possible. The need for an easy soup recipe has felt endless as we recover from one bout of illness after another, and that is how the lazy meatball soup recipe came to be.
This is a super flavorful soup that doesn't require much work and is delicious whether you're under the weather or not.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ground beef (you could do the whole recipe with mushrooms or tempeh instead if meat isn't your jam)
- 1 1/2 quarts broth
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 5 stalks of celery
- 3 medium potatoes
- 3 leaves of kale, coarsely chopped, stems removed
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp ground cumin and coriander each
- 2 tbsp dried oregano, thyme, and rosemary (or a mix of Italian seasoning)
- 1/2 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
Recipe
Heat a large soup pot on medium heat and add your butter; once melted and coating the bottom of the pan, add your onion and sauté until translucent. Add your ground beef, sprinkle with salt, pepper, spices, and herbs; be very careful not to break it up into small pieces; you want to allow it to clump together in large "meatballs," stirring intermittently, gently rolling them around in your pan. Once the meat is browned and meatballs have begun to form, add your celery, carrots, garlic, and potatoes; sprinkle a little more salt; and add the broth and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cover, allowing to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add kale and half the bunch of parsley and let simmer for 5 more minutes.
It's done! Ladle it into bowls and sprinkle with parsley.