If you like soup as much as us, you’re in luck! You can browse our archive of soup recipes here.

This soup has everything you need right now: a slew of healthy ingredients, a bit of comfort, it’s relatively easy, and it tastes delicious warmed up for lunch the next day.

This recipe comes from the cookbook Easy Soups from Scratch with Quick Breads to Match. I have to confess, I haven’t made any of the quick breads yet, but this soup alone has made the book worth the purchase for me!

In my house, I’m the only that can subsist on soup. Everyone else wants soup and something else, BUT not when I make a pot of this soup. This soup has such great flavor and a good variety of ingredients. I think the combination creates a dish that is more filling than a simpler soup, and so, if I serve it with some good bread, everyone leaves the table satisfied.

Lamb Meatball and Vegetable Soup

Don’t be daunted by the long list of ingredients. I think that a well-stocked kitchen would have most of these items, and once you’ve made the soup, you’ll realize that the long list was totally worth it.

The only real modification I’ve made to the recipe is to increase the quantity of lamb. The original recipe calls for 1 lb, but that wasn’t quite enough for our taste.

• 1.5 pounds ground lamb
• 1/2+ Tbsp harissa
• salt
• olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced into coins
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 15oz can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 280z can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup dried brown or green lentils
• 2 medium dates, pitted and chopped OR 2 Tbsp diced raisins
• 3 Tbsp couscous
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

{pictured above before adding the couscous}

• Preheat the oven to 425F.
• Mix the lamb with 1/2 Tbsp of harissa and 3/4 tsp salt. Blend thoroughly and then pinch off little balls of meat (about 1-1/5 Tbsp each). Don’t worry about making perfect balls. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. They should not be pink in the middle. Drain off the excess fat.
• While the meatballs are cooking, start the soup by heating the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.
• Add the onion and carrots, sautéing until the onion is translucent. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon, and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant (about 45 seconds). At this point you can add more harissa to taste if desired.
• Add the broth, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and lentils to the soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost tender (about 15 minutes).
• Add the meatballs, dates or raisins, couscous, and cilantro. Simmer uncovered until the couscous is tender and the soup has thickened slightly (about 5 minutes). Add the lemon juice and season with additional salt, pepper, and harissa, if desired.
• Serve immediately.

As I mentioned, this soup reheats well. We’re often out on hikes, and it’s such a nice treat to be able to pack a warm lunch during the winter. When everyone is a bit tired and chilly from the hike, there’s nothing better than a thermos of hot soup. Try it, and I think you’ll agree! xo