Potato soup with meatballs and lovage

Name: Potato soup with meatballs and lovage - Mirela H.
Ingredients: 1.5 kg potatoes; 500 g minced pork; 100 g rice; 2 eggs; 300 g carrots; 150 g parsley; 2 medium; sized onions; 1 slice of celery; salt; pepper; vegeta; 0.5 l homemade broth; lovage; 1 bay leaf; 1 yellow bell pepper; 100 ml oil.

Soups - Potato soup with meatballs and lovage by Mirela H. - Recipia

When you have a leftover amount of ground meat that isn’t enough for a whole pot of meatballs, a great solution is to use it in a potato soup. This combination came about: potatoes, vegetables, meatballs made from pork, and plenty of fresh lovage at the end. It’s a simple, hearty soup that’s easy to make, and the flavor is enhanced by homemade tomato paste. When serving, you can add sour cream or yogurt, and for those who prefer, hot peppers are always available. QUICK INFO Recipe type: Potato soup with meatballs Total time: not specified in the original recipe Preparation time: not specified Cooking time: approximately 10 minutes after adding the meatballs, plus the time needed to boil the potatoes and vegetables Servings: not specified; the quantity obtained is suitable for several servings Difficulty: easy Ingredients For the soup: 1.5 kg potatoes 300 g carrots 150 g parsley root 1 slice of celery 2 medium onions 1 yellow bell pepper 100 ml oil 2.5 l warm water 0.5 l homemade tomato paste 1 bay leaf Fresh lovage, to taste Salt Pepper Vegeta For the meatballs: 500 g ground pork 100 g rice 2 eggs Salt Pepper For serving: Sour cream or yogurt, to preference Hot pepper Preparation method 1. Prepare the vegetables Peel the potatoes, wash them, and cut them into cubes. Peel the carrot, parsley root, onion, and bell pepper, then wash and finely chop them. The celery is prepared along with the other vegetables. Wash the lovage leaves and chop them. It’s good to have them ready in advance, as they are added towards the end and you shouldn't leave the soup unattended while you look for them. 2. Prepare the meatball mixture Wash the rice, then place it in a bowl along with the ground meat and the two eggs. Season with salt and pepper and mix well until the mixture is homogeneous. Set the mixture aside while you start the soup. You can shape the meatballs in the meantime before adding them to the pot. 3. Sauté the vegetables Put the oil in a pot and add the chopped carrots, parsley, celery, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté the vegetables with a little water. There’s no need to brown them; just let them soften and combine their flavors. 4. Add the potatoes Add the cubed potatoes over the sautéed vegetables and let them sauté together for a little longer. Stir gently to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Then, add the 2.5 liters of warm water. Season with salt, pepper, and Vegeta, add the bay leaf, and let the soup simmer on low heat. 5. Shape and cook the meatballs When the potatoes are halfway cooked, form the meatballs from the prepared mixture. Take small amounts of the mixture and shape them between your palms, then carefully place them in the soup. Let the soup continue to simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes after adding the meatballs. It’s important that the heat isn’t too high so the meatballs remain intact during cooking. 6. Add the tomato paste and lovage Once the potatoes and meatballs are cooked, add the homemade tomato paste. Stir gently and adjust the taste with salt if needed. Finally, add the chopped lovage and turn off the heat. The soup can be served plain or with sour cream or yogurt. For a spicier flavor, hot peppers can be added. Why I make this recipe often This soup is useful when you have a smaller amount of ground meat and don’t want to just make meatballs. The potatoes and vegetables turn the meat into a hearty soup, and the rice in the meatballs helps create a more cohesive mixture. I also like it because it uses common ingredients. It doesn’t require complicated techniques, and the lovage and tomato paste give it that specific homemade soup flavor. Tips and variations Tips Add the meatballs to the soup only when the potatoes are halfway cooked. If you add them too early, there’s a risk they will overcook by the time the potatoes are done. Shape the meatballs to similar sizes so they cook approximately at the same time. Simmering on low heat helps the meatballs stay whole. After adding them to the pot, stir gently and don’t jostle them. The tomato paste is added after the potatoes and meatballs have cooked. In the recipe, it is added towards the end, after about 10 minutes of cooking the meatballs. The lovage is added at the end to preserve its flavor in the soup. Substitutions Homemade tomato paste can be used exactly as specified in the recipe. Since no alternative is indicated in the original recipe, the quantity and type of liquid remain unchanged. When serving, sour cream can be replaced with yogurt. Both are mentioned as optional and are added to the bowl, not the pot. Variations The recipe can be prepared with the same combination of vegetables and meatballs while keeping the given proportions. The final taste can be adjusted with salt, pepper, Vegeta, and the amount of lovage. If you prefer a milder flavor, use less lovage at the end. For the version in the original recipe, it should be used generously. Serving ideas The soup is served hot, with sour cream or yogurt, to preference. Hot peppers are recommended for those who consume them and can be placed alongside, directly in the bowl. Frequently Asked Questions 1. When do you add the meatballs to the potato soup? The meatballs are added when the potatoes are halfway cooked. After adding them, the soup simmers for about 10 minutes, according to the recipe. 2. Is the rice added raw to the meatball mixture? Yes. The rice is washed and mixed directly with the ground meat and eggs. It is not boiled separately beforehand. 3. How much water is used? 2.5 liters of warm water are used. This is added after the vegetables and potatoes have been sautéed a bit. 4. When is the tomato paste added? The tomato paste is added after the meatballs have cooked for about 10 minutes and the potatoes are cooked. After the tomato paste, the lovage is also added. 5. What can the soup be served with? It can be served with sour cream or yogurt. Hot pepper is optional, but it is mentioned as a must-have when serving in the original recipe. Nutritional values The values below are estimates and depend on the fat percentage of the pork, the amount of oil left in the soup, and the number of servings. For approximately 8 servings, one serving may contain: Calories: approximately 500-550 kcal Protein: approximately 22-27 g Carbohydrates: approximately 50-60 g Fats: approximately 22-28 g The soup contains carbohydrates mainly from potatoes, rice, and tomato paste, while the protein comes from the ground meat and eggs. The oil and pork contribute most to the fat content. Adding sour cream can increase the nutritional values per serving. Storage and reheating The soup can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container. Because the recipe contains meatballs and potatoes, it’s best consumed within a few days without being kept for too long. When reheating, warm only the amount that will be served. Do this gradually, on low heat, so the meatballs and potatoes don’t break apart. If it seems thicker after storage, stir gently and heat without boiling vigorously.

Potato soup with meatballs and lovage

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