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A warm and comforting soup featuring chicken meatballs, diced potatoes, and carrots in a golden broth.

Russian Chicken Meatball Soup

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
A hearty and comforting Russian chicken meatball soup featuring tender chicken, vibrant vegetables, and fresh herbs in a flavorful broth.
12 Servings

Ingredients

Chicken Meatballs:

  • 2 lbs chicken breasts
  • 5 slices white bread optional
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup water or milk for soaking bread
  • 1 ½ medium white onions divided
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Soup Base:

  • 3 ½ liters 14 cups water, plus additional ½ cup
  • 2 tsp sunflower oil
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and grated
  • 1 sweet potato peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium red potato peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium zucchini peeled and chopped
  • ½ head cauliflower 2 cups, broken into florets
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 cup frozen green beans
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen asparagus halved
  • 2 tsp fresh oregano chopped
  • cup fresh dill chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

Prepare the Soup Base:

  1. In a large pot, heat 3 ½ liters of water until boiling. While the water heats, peel and chop the sweet potato, red potato, zucchini, and cauliflower. Keep the chopped vegetables in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
  2. Once the water reaches a boil, add the bay leaves, lentils, 1 whole white onion, and the chopped sweet potatoes and red potatoes. Stir in the dill, oregano, and thyme. Add the cauliflower and zucchini to the pot. Lower the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.

Sauté the Carrots:

  1. Heat the sunflower oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the grated carrots and sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened. Transfer the carrots to the pot, then add the frozen green beans, peas, and asparagus. Season the soup with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.

Prepare the Chicken Meatballs:

  1. Chop the chicken breasts, ½ onion, and bread (if using) into large pieces. Soak the bread in ½ cup water or milk until soft, then mash. Combine the chicken, onion, soaked bread, and egg in a food processor or meat grinder. Process until the mixture is smooth and well-combined. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.

Form and Add the Meatballs:

  1. Wet your hands to prevent sticking, then shape the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. Carefully drop the meatballs into the simmering soup. Remove the whole onion from the pot to create more space. Continue adding meatballs until all the mixture is used.

Simmer and Finish:

  1. Allow the soup to simmer for an additional 10 minutes after adding the meatballs. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Serve:

  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with fresh dill and, if desired, a dollop of sour cream for added richness.

Notes

To make this soup gluten-free, substitute the bread in the meatballs with a gluten-free alternative or omit it entirely. Ensure the frozen vegetables and any seasonings used are certified gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination.
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