Ingredients Meat & Poultry Turkey Recipes Ground Turkey Recipes Turkey-Pesto Meatball Soup 5.0 (2) This light but satisfying soup is big on flavor. Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Our turkey meatball soup is packed with flavor from pesto, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and basil. It’s similar to an Italian wedding soup but does not include any pasta. The easy meatballs are made with homemade or store-bought pesto, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, and egg. Rather than sear them on the stovetop, they're gently poached in a fragrant broth that’s been flavored with garlic and basil (we told you this soup has big pesto energy!). Add some chopped escarole at the end and finish with more cheese and pesto for a protein-packed bowl that’s sure to satisfy. 22 Quick Sunday Night Dinner Ideas That Soothe and Satisfy Credit: Lennart Weibull Key Ingredients for Turkey-Pesto Meatball Soup Ground turkey: Ground turkey is typically sold as a mixture of light and dark meat in a variety of fat ratios (similar to ground beef). For this recipe, we recommend using ground turkey that's between 85 and 90 percent lean. You can use ground light meat if you prefer, but your meatballs will be slightly less moist and tender. Pesto: Homemade or store-bought pesto can be used for this recipe. If you're buying the pesto, look for a higher quality pesto for the best flavor and texture. If you're making pesto from scratch, you can use the traditional basil or a mix of herbs for a more complex flavor. Chicken broth: As with the pesto, you can use homemade or store-bought broth for this recipe. If you're purchasing it, be sure to use a low-sodium option so you can control the saltiness of the soup. Parmesan cheese: You'll use grated Parmesan cheese in the meatball mixture and for sprinkling over bowls of soup. We prefer the flavor of freshly grated Parmesan for this recipe, but you can use pre-grated cheese in a pinch. Escarole: Escarole is a tender, leafy green in the chicory family. It has a slightly bitter flavor that softens when cooked and makes a delightful addition to soups, salads, and bean dishes. If you can't find escarole, you can swap in spinach, baby kale, or arugula. Make Ahead You can save time with this soup by making the meatballs ahead. They can be rolled and refrigerated one day ahead of time. Keep them covered with plastic wrap until ready to cook. Directions Make meatball mixture; refrigerate: In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, pesto, panko breadcrumbs, lightly whisked egg, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper with a fork until just combined. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate. Make broth: Heat smashed and peeled garlic clove in a saucepan over medium-high until fragrant, about 30 seconds; add chicken broth and fresh basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes. Form meatballs: Form turkey mixture into tablespoon-size balls. Tip Using a cookie scoop to form the meatballs ensures they are similarly sized. To keep your hands from becoming sticky when rolling, wet them with a bit of water after every few meatballs. Add meatballs to pot and remove from heat: Remove basil and garlic from liquid; gently drop in meatballs. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, until meatballs are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in escarole and serve with more cheese and pesto: Stir in chopped escarole. Serve immediately with more Parmigiano-Reggiano and pepper, and drizzled with more pesto. How to Serve Turkey-Pesto Meatball Soup This turkey meatball soup makes a light yet satisfying lunch or dinner served on its own or with some crusty bread for dipping. To round out the meal, you could certainly add a Caesar salad or an easy vegetable side like these lemony green beans or roasted broccoli. More Quick Soup Recipes to Try: Turmeric-Ginger Chicken Soup 15-Minute White Bean Soup Potato, Broccoli, and Cheddar Soup Creamy Broccoli-and-Spinach Soup Smoky Black Bean Soup With Sausage Coconut-Miso Mushroom Soup Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.