Greek Style Minestrone with Turkey and Feta Meatballs

I am really enjoying so many of the recipes that is on the For the Love of Cooking Blog.

This recipe is AMAZING! Hubby and I LOVE it....I think it's our new favorite...and I had to share! This is the first soup that we ate all the leftovers. Delicious!

Hope you all love it as much as we do!

Turkey Meatballs:


1 lb of ground turkey meat with Italian seasonings

2 tbsp sweet yellow onion, diced finely

2 tbsp feta cheese (I used reduced fat)

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup of garlic and herb bread crumbs

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 tsp olive oil (for cooking meatballs)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and gently combine with fingers until thoroughly mixed. Roll into very small meatballs.

Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat, once the pan is hot add the meatballs and cook for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.

Soup:

1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

6 cups of chicken stock

1/3 cup of long grain brown (or white) rice

1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes

1-2 tsp fresh dill, chopped

1 tsp of oregano

Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1 zucchini, chopped into bite size pieces

1 yellow squash, chopped into bite size pieces

1 can small white beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups sliced fresh spinach (about 3 ounces)

Turkey meatballs

1/2 cup of feta cheese for topping

Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, stock, rice and tomatoes in a large Dutch oven, over medium heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until the vegetables and rice are tender, about 25-30 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium and add beans, meatballs, zucchini and squash. Taste and re-season if needed. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring once. Stir in spinach and simmer, uncovered, until spinach is wilted and all vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes longer. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with feta cheese. Enjoy.

Note: If not serving immediately, add the spinach just before serving to retain the bright color and prevent overcooking.