We like to call it “Thai Meatball Soup” for short, since any dish with such a long name sounds more complicated and intimidating than this one is.
This super-clean, low calorie, ultra-flavorful brothy soup is chock-full of beneficial ingredients like cilantro, ginger, and bone broth, and is both versatile and deceptively easy to make. All you need is a sharp knife and some hands for mixing your meatballs. The result is a delicious vegetable-based soup that is perfect as a light meal, and is ideal on cold days or if you or someone you love is under the weather. We recently featured it as one of our courses during a hands-on cooking class at Apple Street Kitchen in Tinton Falls, and it was voted the favorite dish of the night.
Side note: Did you know that we offer group cooking experiences in a variety of themes? We will even come to your home to create a fun mom’s night or couples’ night experience; just email us at ali@eateighty.com to inquire! Grab a few friends and a bottle of wine and make a night of it!
Thai Meatball Soup with Coconut and Chili Flakes
THAI VEGETABLE EGG-DROP SOUP with GINGER-CILANTRO TURKEY MEATBALLS
Once you break the steps down into parts, you’ll see that this is a pretty easy recipe. You can use the time while the meatballs are baking to prepare the soup broth. Both components use cilantro, scallions and ginger, so chop/grate all at once to save time. It tastes wonderful the first day, and is even better on the second day after the flavors have had a chance to meld a bit more.
Servings: 4 as a main course; 6-8 servings as a starter
Time: 40 minutes, start to finish
Need: sharp knife, cutting board, grater/microplane, bowls, sheet pan, large pot
MEATBALL INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground organic turkey
1 TBSP fresh cilantro
2 scallions
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
2 TBSP coconut aminos
1 tsp fish sauce
SOUP INGREDIENTS:
6 cups turkey or chicken bone broth or stock
3 carrots
1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger
2 TBSP coconut aminos
2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
1 tsp fish sauce
Juice from 1 lime (approx. 2 TBSP)
2 large organic pastured eggs (omit for anyone following AIP, auto-immune diet)
2 TBSP fresh cilantro
3 scallions
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
GARNISHES:
Remaining fresh cilantro or scallions
Unsweetened coconut flakes
Red pepper flakes (OR use 1 thinly sliced red chile for extra heat)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper (or foil).
2. Chop all the cilantro and scallions into small pieces, and grate the fresh ginger. Put 1 TBSP chopped cilantro, 1/2 the scallions, and 1 TBSP ginger in a large bowl. (Save remaining cilantro, scallions and ginger for soup.)
3. Add the ground turkey, 2 TBSP coconut aminos and 1 tsp fish sauce to the same bowl, then mix everything thoroughly (hands work best).
4. Form small meatballs – approximately cocktail-sized – and arrange them on the sheet pan.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven and set aside until the broth is ready.
6. While meatballs are baking, peel and chop the carrots into small rounds (or you could do small matchsticks), and chop the zucchini and yellow squash into quarter-moons (they will look like triangles).
7. In a large pot, warm the 2 TBSP sesame oil over medium heat.
8. Add the grated ginger and saute it for 1 minute, being careful not to let it burn, then add the carrots, zucchini, and squash, and saute for 1 additional minute.
9. Add the stock, 2 TBSP coconut aminos, 1 tsp fish sauce, and lime juice, then turn up the heat to medium-high to bring the soup to a boil.
10. Whisk the two eggs in a small bowl, and once the soup begins to boil, slowly drizzle the eggs into the soup. Use a fork to stir the eggs and create “ribbons” to prevent the eggs from clumping.
11. Reduce the heat, then add the scallions and cilantro, and carefully drop the meatballs into the broth. Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.
12. Allow the soup to simmer for 1-2 more minutes to let flavors meld.
Ladle into bowls, and enjoy!
Garnish your soup with remaining cilantro and sliced scallions, unsweetened toasted coconut, and/or red pepper flakes.
If you like your soup more spicy, you can top your it with finely sliced or diced fresh red chili peppers for extra heat. Red Anaheim chiles are mild; red jalapenos are spicier; Thai Birds Eye chilis (aka, piri piri) are extremely spicy. (Be sure to wear gloves when chopping chili peppers, as the chilis are known to linger on fingers and burn the eyes/mouth if you touch them.)
NUTRITION FACTS:
290 kcal / serving
37 g protein
10 g total carbohydrates
11 g total fat
Six servings, ready to get in your belly!
