Lentil Meatball and Vegetable Soup

Lean turkey meatballs simmer with lentils, potatoes, carrots, and peppers in a tomato-scented broth for a hearty, vegetable-packed soup.

By Moow Editorial ·

A terracotta bowl of lentil soup with meatballs, potatoes, carrots, red pepper, and scallions.
Photo: Elena Leya · Unsplash License via Unsplash · cropped by Moow
  • Shape small meatballs so they cook evenly in the broth.
  • Use cooked lentils near the end so they stay intact.

At a glance

Read through the method once, then measure every ingredient before you begin.

  • Yield: 4 large bowls
  • Prep time: 22 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
The listed weights are the editor-reviewed basis for nutrition; household measures are rounded for practical cooking.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Serving basis: One nutrition serving from the editor-reviewed yield of 4 large bowls.

  • Calories: 500 kcal
  • Protein: 40 g
  • Carbohydrates: 65 g
  • Fat: 11 g
  • Fiber: 19 g
  • Sodium: 312 mg
Estimated from the listed ingredients and serving yield using USDA FoodData Central. Actual values vary with brands, substitutions, cooking losses, oil absorption, and portion size.

Ingredients

Measure these ingredients for the full editor-reviewed recipe yield.

  • 1 pound (454 g) raw 93%-lean ground turkey
  • 3 cups (600 g) cooked lentils without salt
  • 1 pound (454 g) red potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 3 medium carrots (240 g), sliced
  • 1 large red bell pepper (160 g), diced
  • 2 cups (480 g) no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • 4 cups (960 g) water
  • 1 cup (60 g) sliced scallions
  • 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, grated
  • 2 teaspoons (5 g) paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt

Directions

1. Mix the turkey with half the scallions, garlic, paprika, and salt; shape into 20 small meatballs.

2. Bring the tomato sauce, water, potatoes, carrots, and pepper to a simmer in a Dutch oven and cook for 10 minutes.

3. Lower in the meatballs and simmer gently until their centers reach 165°F (74°C), 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Stir in the lentils and remaining scallions and cook until steaming, about 4 minutes. Divide among four bowls.

Sources

  1. USDA FoodData Central — April 2026 data release

No major U.S. food allergen is intentionally included. Cook turkey meatballs to 165°F (74°C), prevent raw-meat cross-contamination, and refrigerate soup within 2 hours.

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