Cajun Meatball Soup
I love soup any time of year, strange I know since I live in scorching hot Arizona, but I do look forward to creating some new soup recipes each year as the calendar marks fall. This week we are having something simple but packs a flavorful punch
Equipment
- 1 6 quart Stockpot
- 1 Large Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- 1 Medium Cookie Scoop,
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 lb. ground beef, 92/8
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1 onion, finely diced, (reserve half for the soup)
- 1 tablespoon Cajun spice mix, SEE NOTES, homemade or low sodium store-bought.
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder, optional, for added heat to taste.
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cloves minced fresh garlic, (reserve half for the soup)
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 2/3 cup ketchup, low sugar or no sugar will also work well.
- 1 cup bread crumbs, Italian or plain
- 1 large egg
Soup:
- 3 bell peppers, diced or sliced
- 4 stalks celery, sliced
- 2 tablespoon s olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, SEE NOTES, homemade or low sodium store-bought.
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder, optional, for added heat to taste.
- 8 cups beef broth
- 2- 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 2- 15 oz canned kidney beans, drained
- 1 bay leaf
- salt & pepper, to taste after cooking
Instructions
Meatballs
- Prepare all of you ingredients before cooking (mise en place).
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, place the ground meat, 1/2 of the onion, 1/2 of the garlic, Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, ketchup, milk, eggs, and bread crumbs. Mix well, but do not over mix or you will have tough meatballs.
- Using a large (or medium) cookie scoop (about 2-3 tablespoons), portion out and roll the meatballs. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. TIP: If you lightly coat your hands with olive oil before rolling the meatballs, they will roll up easier and form better.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes (set a timer), or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.As these are baking start preparing the soup base. If they finish before you are done, just set aside. They will be re-heated in the broth.
Soup
- In a large stockpot, sauté the bell peppers, celery, and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until softened.
- Pour in the broth, diced tomatoes. Add the drained beans, cooked meatballs, 1-2 tablespoons Cajun mix, cayenne powder (optional) and a bay leaf.
- Simmer on medium for 15-20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve with cornbread, toast or dinner rolls. Top with cheese & fresh parsley.
Notes
Nutritional facts and servings are estimates only.
Cajun Seasoning- You can use store-bought, or you can whip up a batch of my DIY Cajun-Style Mix. It's is important to note that this recipe does not call for a salt-free version of Cajun seasoning. My personal recipe does have salt and some store-bought versions have more salt than I use. I recommend 1-2 tablespoons in the soup broth to taste. If you are using a salt-free seasoning you will need to add salt to taste. If you like a little more heat, you can even add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of cayenne to either the meatballs or the broth or both!
DIY Cajun-Style Mix
3 tbs. paprika
1 tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. cayenne powder
2 tbs. garlic powder
1 tbs. onion powder
2 tbs. sea salt
2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. celery powder, optional
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients to combine. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 104kcalProtein: 16gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 50mgPotassium: 262mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!