Turkey Meatball Soup

Hearty and Delicious Turkey Meatball Soup

October 25, 2024

Hearty and Delicious Turkey Meatball Soup: If you are thinking to yourself “I thought I wasn’t supposed to have soup after bariatric surgery?” I would say that you aren’t wrong.

You might also be thinking, I wasn’t told that!

Every bariatric program differs tremendously! Here are my thoughts on soup.

Avoid liquids when you eat as a post-op.

When you have liquid with your food, it moves food through your stomach pouch faster which means larger portions and/or more hunger later. This is more of a hunger control issue than anything.

I have seen many patients struggle with snacking and hunger because they got away from avoiding fluids while eating.

So why am I posting a Turkey Meatball Soup recipe?

You can still make a soup that is really hearty, but use a slotted spoon and eat the meat and vegetables, leaving the broth behind.

Cooking meat in broth can also make the meat soft, moist and tender which is a post-op patients dream!

Note, if all meat seems dry and uncomfortable to you it might be more related to your bite size. Keep bites to the size of a black bean, especially when it’s dense meat.

I also like this recipe because it’s fast in the Instant Pot® and has amazing flavor. Especially the broth…

Didn’t you just tell me not to have the broth?

Here is what I would tell my members (or my patients). You can have the broth up until your first bite of the meat. Once you have the meat, focus on the food only.

Liquid moves through the pouch quicker but you can start with some broth unless you are early out of surgery and it makes you feel uncomfortable to have broth before your food.

Otherwise, broth first then eat the meat with a fork next. Focus on the meatballs and enjoy some veggies along the way.

You could even put the soup through a strainer and save the broth to sip on another time!

Hearty and Delicious Turkey Meatball Soup

Recipe by: Steph Wagner (Bariatric Food Coach)
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 mins; Cook Time: 20 mins; Total Time: 35 mins

Ingredients: Meatballs

  • 1/4 cup onion grated over cheese grater
  • 1 lb ground turkey 93% lean or greater
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese reduced fat
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp minced garlic dried
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Ingredients: Soup

  • 1/2 cup onion diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 1 cup carrot diced
  • 1 medium zucchini diced
  • 15 oz diced tomatoes canned
  • 28 oz chicken broth low sodium
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • .5 lemon

Directions

  1. Start with prepping meatballs. Using a cheese grater over a large mixing bowl, grate an onion until it yields 1/4 cup. Add ground turkey, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix well until formed.
  2. Using a cookie scoop or a large spoon, form into meatballs about 1.5 inches in size. Refrigerate until other ingredients are ready.
  3. Chop remaining onion, carrots, celery and zucchini.

Directions: Pressure Cooker

  1. Start with saute mode and a spray of olive oil. Saute chopped onion for 2 minutes then tun off. Add other chopped veggies plus diced tomato and chicken broth. Add meatballs, pressing into the liquid.
  2. Close lid and move valve to sealed position. Select manual pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release when finished.
  3. Remove lid and add lemon juice and spinach. Stir spinach in to allow wilting. Serve.

Directions: Slow Cooker

  1. Add diced onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, diced tomatoes, broth and meatballs to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours.
  2. Remove lid and add spinach. Replace lid for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and serve.

Nutritional Info

Calories 238; Carbohydrates 16 grams; Fat 6 grams; Protein 34 grams

Check out more from Steph of Bariatric Food Coach on ObesityHelp!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steph Wagner MS, RDN has worked as a dietitian and food coach to bariatric patients since 2009. She is the co-founder Bariatricfoodcoach.com with her husband Kevin, a web developer. Together they've built an extensive, user-friendly website and community for post-op patients. Steph also has a published cookbook “Best Fork Forward: Everyday Dinners After Weight-Loss Surgery.” Read more articles by Steph!
Recipe Disclaimer: If you have specific dietary restrictions, allergies or a nutrition plan that you are following, make sure to read the ingredient list prior to consumption. All information on ObesityHelp.com is intended for informational purposes only. The information is not intended to be a replacement or substitute for consultation with a qualified medical professional. Please contact a medical professional with any questions and concerns.