Vegetable comfort soup with meatballs recipe

This vegetable comfort soup with meatballs recipe is a health-conscious yet hearty soup that’ll always leave you feeling satisfied, but never like you’ve overindulged. If you want an extra flavour punch, add a tablespoon of pesto.

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

For the soup:

1tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

225g carrots, peeled and chopped into small cubes

1 leek, finely chopped

1.75l chicken stock

1tsp fresh cracked pepper

200g spinach

For the meatballs:

450g chicken mince

1 small red chilli, finely chopped

Half a red onion, finely chopped

1 egg

1tbsp tomato purée

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1tbsp dried basil

Method

To start, make the meatballs. To do this, place the chicken mince, chilli, red onion, egg, tomato puree, half the garlic and half the dried basil in a large bowl and use your hands to mix together well.

Divide the mixture into tablespoon-size scoops and roll into balls. Place on a large plate.

Heat the oil in a large stock pot and sauté the onion for two minutes. Add the carrots, leek and the remaining basil and garlic and sauté for a further minute, then add the stock and pepper and bring to the boil.

Add the meatballs to the stockpot, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add the spinach, cover again and cook for a further five minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, divide between four serving bowls and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of: Paleo Monday to Friday by Daniel Green, £14.99, Kyle Books. Photography by Peter Cassidy