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This Meatball Orzo Soup is cozy, flavorful, and made with just a handful of everyday ingredients.
It’s a Balkan-inspired version of Supa Topcheta (Bulgarian meatball soup) – a dish that feels a little like Italian Wedding Soup but with its own character: tender meatballs, a light tomato base, and a bright finish of lemon and fresh parsley.
It’s hearty enough to serve as a full dinner yet simple enough for busy weeknights. Whether you use ground beef, turkey meatballs, or even chicken meatballs, this soup is endlessly adaptable and a great recipe to keep in your weeknight rotation.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- A recipe that bridges cuisines: if you love Italian Wedding Soup, lemon chicken soup, or creamy meatball soup, you’ll love this version
- Everyday ingredients with big flavor
- Quick and family-friendly, ready in about 40 minutes
- Flexible, works with beef, chicken, or turkey meatballs
- Stores and reheats well
Ingredients for Orzo and Meatball Soup Recipe
For the meatballs
- 250–300 g ground beef (or turkey or chicken)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chubritsa (Bulgarian savory)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (or 1/2 grated onion, juice squeezed)
- Flour, for rolling
For the soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce (or blended tomatoes)
- 1.5 liters vegetable or beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
How to make Meatball Orzo Soup (Kofta Soup)
- Make the meatballs: Combine ground meat with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, chubritsa, and onion powder or grated onion. Mix well until sticky. Roll into small balls and coat lightly with flour.
2. Start the soup: Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and carrot, sauté 7 to 8 minutes until softened. Stir in tomato sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Simmer: Add stock, bay leaf, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil. Drop in the meatballs and simmer for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the orzo: Stir in orzo and cook for another 10 to 12 minutes until pasta and meatballs are cooked through.
5. Finish: Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Adjust seasoning and serve hot with bread.
Instant Pot Meatball Orzo Soup
If you’d rather set it and forget it, this soup works beautifully in the Instant Pot too. The meatballs stay tender, the broth builds flavor quickly, and the orzo cooks perfectly.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Prepare the meatballs as directed.
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Heat olive oil, add onion and carrot, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce.
- Add stock, bay leaf, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Drop in the meatballs.
- Lock the lid and set valve to Seal. Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes.
- Quick release, then stir in orzo. Cook on Sauté mode for 7 to 8 minutes, until pasta and meatballs are cooked.
- Stir in lemon juice and parsley before serving.
Variations
- Replace orzo with rice for a gluten-free option
- Use turkey meatballs for a lighter version
- Swap ground chicken and make it similar to lemon chicken soup
- Stir in cream at the end for creamy meatball soup
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, roll and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 2 months.
Use a mix of thyme and oregano.
Yes, without the orzo. Add fresh pasta when reheating.
Italian Wedding Soup has greens and a clear broth. This Balkan soup has a tomato base, smoky paprika, and lemon.
Stir in cream, milk, or Greek yogurt at the end.
More Soup Recipes
Meatball Orzo Soup
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 250 –300 g ground beef, or turkey or chicken
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chubritsa, Bulgarian savory
- 1/2 tsp onion powder, or 1/2 grated onion, juice squeezed
- Flour, for rolling
For the soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 cup tomato sauce, or blended tomatoes
- 1.5 liters vegetable or beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup orzo pasta
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Video
Instructions
- In a bowl combine ground meat with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, chubritsa, and onion. Mix until sticky. Roll into small balls and coat lightly with flour.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and carrot, sauté for 7 to 8 minutes until softened. Stir in tomato sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in stock, add bay leaf, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil. Drop in the meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add orzo and cook for another 10 to 12 minutes, until pasta and meatballs are cooked.
- Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
