Description
A comforting and hearty Instant Pot Turkey Meatball and Ditalini Soup featuring tender turkey meatballs, vegetables, and ditalini pasta in a flavorful tomato broth. Perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner and easy to prepare with the Instant Pot.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
- 1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (can substitute gluten-free breadcrumbs)
- 3 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Soup
- Cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped carrot
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 can diced San Marzano tomatoes (28 ounces, I used Tuttorosso)
- 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 4 basil leaves (plus optional more for garnish)
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 ounces ditalini pasta (1 cup) (wheat or gluten-free)
- 1 cup zucchini (diced small)
- Parmesan rind (optional)
- Grated parmesan cheese (optional for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, seasoned breadcrumbs, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, beaten egg, crushed garlic, fresh minced parsley, and kosher salt. Gently mix to combine without overworking the meat.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into about 30 meatballs, each approximately 1 heaping tablespoon in size, ensuring uniformity for even cooking.
- Brown Meatballs: Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and spray the pot with cooking spray. Brown the meatballs in 2 to 3 batches, avoiding overcrowding. Spray the pot as needed between batches. Once browned, remove meatballs to a dish and set aside. Clean the pot afterward to prevent burning.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pot. Sauté chopped onion, celery, carrots, and minced garlic until softened, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to develop flavor.
- Add Tomatoes and Herbs: Stir in the diced San Marzano tomatoes with their juices, Parmesan rind if using, basil leaves, and bay leaves. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
- Return Meatballs and Add Broth: Place the browned meatballs back into the pot and pour in the 4 cups of reduced sodium chicken broth. Stir gently to combine.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to sealing position, and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Quick Release and Add Pasta and Zucchini: Perform a quick release of pressure after the cooking cycle ends and carefully open the lid. Add the ditalini pasta and diced zucchini to the soup, then reseal the lid and cook on high pressure for an additional 4 minutes to avoid overcooking the pasta.
- Final Quick Release and Serve: Once the pasta cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure again and open the lid. Remove bay leaves and basil leaves if needed. Serve the soup hot, garnished with extra basil and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- This soup is loaded with mini turkey meatballs, zucchini, vegetables, and ditalini pasta, making it hearty and nutritious.
- It is a perfect cozy meal for weeknights and also reheats well as leftovers.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute the breadcrumbs and pasta with gluten-free varieties.
- Parmesan rind is optional but adds extra depth of flavor to the broth.
- If you prefer a saltier soup, adjust seasoning accordingly, but note the sodium content if monitoring salt intake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 2/3 cups
- Calories: 318 kcal
- Sugar: 7.5 g
- Sodium: 1003 mg
- Fat: 8.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.5 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 87 mg
