This Lamb Meatball Soup is light and brothy yet deeply satisfying, with tender lamb meatballs seasoned with fresh mint, garlic, and turmeric. They’re simmered in a fragrant golden broth with spinach, cilantro, scallions, and fresh lime for a soup that’s cozy, nourishing, and bursting with fresh flavor. Make this in 45 minutes!
What I love most is the contrast between the rich, savory lamb and the bright, herbaceous broth. Turmeric adds warmth and earthiness, while fresh lime wakes everything up at the end. It’s comforting without feeling heavy-the kind of soup that leaves you feeling both satisfied and refreshed.
While lamb is traditional and my favorite here, the recipe is wonderfully flexible. You can make the meatballs with beef, chicken, turkey or a combination, and swap the spinach for peppery arugula. Either way, don’t skimp on the fresh herbs and lime-they’re what really make this soup sing.
Why You’ll Love This Lamb Meatball Soup
- Light yet satisfying. Tender meatballs make the soup hearty enough for dinner, while the golden, herb-filled broth keeps it fresh and light.
- Big, vibrant flavor. Mint, turmeric, garlic, cilantro, scallions, and lime create layers of savory, earthy, and bright flavors.
- Tender, flavorful meatballs. Fresh mint and turmeric complement the richness of lamb beautifully, giving these simple meatballs a distinctive flavor.
- Healthy and nourishing. Protein-rich meatballs, leafy greens, fresh herbs, and a broth-based soup make this a wholesome meal without feeling heavy.
- Easy to adapt. Lamb is traditional, but beef, chicken, or a combination all work. Use spinach or arugula depending on what you have.
Meatball Soup Ingredients
- Ground lamb - Traditional here and wonderfully flavorful, creating tender, savory “kofta” meatballs. Ground beef, chicken, turkey or a combination can also be used.
- Onion & garlic - Used in both the meatballs and broth to build a deeply savory base.
- Fresh or dried mint - Adds fresh, aromatic flavor to the lamb meatballs. Dried mint works well too.
- Turmeric - Gives both the meatballs and broth earthy warmth and a beautiful golden hue.
- Chicken stock - Use a flavorful chicken stock or broth since it forms the foundation of the soup.
- Fresh lime - Brightens the rich broth and balances the savory lamb.
- Spinach - Adds color, nutrients, and freshness to the soup. Peppery arugula is a delicious alternative.
- Cilantro & scallions - Added at the end for a fresh, vibrant finish.
- Olive oil - Used for browning the meatballs and sautéing the aromatics.
What is Kofta?
Kofta (also spelled köfte or kufta) refers to a broad family of seasoned meat dishes found throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and surrounding regions, with each cuisine having its own variation. Typically made with ground lamb or beef mixed with onion, herbs, and spices, kofta can be shaped into meatballs, patties, or kebabs.
These lamb meatballs take inspiration from those flavors, combining lamb with fresh mint, garlic, and turmeric before simmering in a fragrant, herb-filled broth.
How to make Lamb Meatball Soup
Make the broth. While the meat mixture is chilling in the fridge, make the flavorful broth. Sauté onion and garlic until tender; add ground turmeric. Then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, and let simmer on med-low, uncovered for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Now the fun part. Bring the broth to a boil and drop the little meatballs raw right into the pot and give a very gentle stir, letting them simmer on medium or medium-low for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the meatballs are simmering, chop 2-3 cups fresh spinach (or arugula or watercress). Chop cilantro and scallions for the garnish.
Serving suggestions
While delicious on its own, you could serve it with warm bread, such as pita or focaccia, for dipping, or with this Middle Eastern rice. A simple cucumber salad, tomato salad, or leafy green salad makes a fresh accompaniment.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Storage: Store leftover Lamb Meatball Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop until the meatballs are warmed through.
- Make ahead: This is a great soup to prepare ahead-the broth and meatballs become even more flavorful as they sit. You can also form the meatballs a day ahead and refrigerate them until you’re ready to cook. For the freshest color and flavor, add the spinach, cilantro, scallions, and lime toward the end of cooking. The broth can be made ahead as well.
- Freezing: The soup freezes well for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the meatballs and broth before adding the fresh greens and herbs, then add those when reheating.
I hope you love this Meatball Soup as much as I do. Please let us know in the comments below! xoxo Sylvia
More Lamb Recipes you may like
Lamb Meatball Soup (Middle Eastern)
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Dinner, entertaining, fall soup, lamb recipe, low carb, one pan meal, Soup, weeknight dinner
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Diabetic, Gluten Free, Gluten-Free, high protein, Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo
Description
A delicious Middle Eastern-inspired Meatball Soup with Turmeric, Spinach and Lime. Easy, low carb and full of amazing flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, lamb, chicken or a combination ( lamb is traditional)
- 1 small onion- diced
- 4 garlic cloves- minced
- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves or 2 tsp dried
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 10 cups flavorful Chicken Stock
- 1 onion- finely diced
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 lime
- 2-3 cups finely shredded spinach ( or arugula )
- 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cups chopped scallions
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix the meat. In a food processor, add the garlic, onion, and mint, and pulse until finely ground. Add ground meat, spices, salt, and olive oil, and process, scraping down the sides several times, until all is fully incorporated into a paste-like consistency. Alternatively, mix all the ingredients in a bowl using your hand, kneading, until it is paste-like, for several minutes. Place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
- Make the Broth. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat, stirring until tender and translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low, add garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add turmeric and pepper , sauté 2 more minutes. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Salt to taste.
- Prep spinach, cilantro and scallions.
- Form the meatballs. Using wet hands, form small, walnut-sized meatballs (1 inch in diameter) and set aside on a platter. You should end up with 20 to 24 small meatballs.
- Simmer the meatballs. Bring broth back to a vigorous boil and gently drop the raw meatballs into the pot, a few at a time, until all are in there -stirring gently with a wooden spoon. Turn heat down so soup is simmering gently ( medium or medium-low heat). Simmer for 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, and skimming any impurities that rise to the surface. Meatballs will start to float when done (about 12 minutes).
- Add the greens. Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes ( a little longer for kale). Add ½ of the scallions and ½ of the cilantro, then squeeze the lime.
- Season. Taste for salt and acid. You really want to taste the lime juice a little, so depending on the size of your lime and its juiciness, you may need to add more. ( If, at this point, the broth tastes “bland” to you, my guess is– it may need more salt, especially if you used a low-sodium broth. Salt really brings out the other flavors. )
- Serve in bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions.
Notes
It may seem strange to drop the raw meatballs directly into the broth, but this is the traditional way it is done. They turn out deliciously tender. Give it a try!
Leftovers keep up to four days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
If entertaining, both meatballs and broth can be made up to a day ahead and stored in the fridge. Always wait to add greens right before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Made with ground lamb
- Calories: 291
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 22.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.5 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 14.1 g
- Cholesterol: 55.3 mg
This was so delicious! I felt very ambitious and even though it was late I’m the evening when I started prepping and cooking, (about 7:30 pm) it was totally worth the wait.
I love how refreshing it is! The lime adds a bright tang and I love the addition of the mint in the meat. I substituted with ground pork because I’m not such a fan of ground chicken or turkey. I also halved the onions and garlic because I have acid reflux and it worked really well!
I’m sending pictures to all of my friends and family to flex on this recipe.
10/10 <3
Nice! So glad you made this work for you. Really appreciate the review!
I have made this ritually all year…one of my favorite flavorful light soups…mint, turmeric, cilantro and scallions is a no brainer for amazing taste
My favorite flavors too! So glad you are enjoying.
delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Jane!
I don’t need to try this recipe to know that it is a winner. One, it doesn’t contain the ubiquitous egg that is in virtually all recipes with meat balls. And two, the cilantro is not actually cooked. If you cook cilantro, it just disappears. When I look at a recipe calling for cilantro, the first thing I look for is to see whether it is cooked. I’ve read that sopa de albodigas, a very popular Mexican recipe is actually originally from the Spanish muslims. They brought it to Mexico when they invaded Mexico.
Thanks Ken, I hope you give it a try!
Can the meatballs be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use? Excited to try this recipe!
Yes, Karen totally!
Has anyone tried pressure canning these meatballs in a little broth, and adding the fresh ingredients and more broth when opening the jar? Canning recipes typically call for browning meatballs before canning. We love this recipe and have made it with lamb or muscovy duck, and lower-oxalate arugula instead of spinach.
I have not… anyone else?
Would this work with your vegan meatballs?
Hi Jodi- which meatballs? The Indian lentil meatballs? I fear they would fall apart if dropped in a broth. I suppose you could sear the meatballs and place them in the bowl and pour the broth over top, but not really sure how they would hold up. Let me know if you try it!